Union Suit Fans in the Limelight

9/12/2023

From Bloomers to Combinations, Part 1

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes

Anyone old enough to remember the 1965 comedy film from 20^th Century Studios about a 1910 English newspaper magnate, Lord Rawnsley, who offers a large financial prize for the first successful aviator who can fly over the English Channel? His offer attracts men, from all over the world in the early days of flight, to pit their flying skills against each other. Actually, it wasn't the lord's conception. He was convinced make the offer by being coerced by his daughter's fiancé. This lighthearted movie was co-written and directed by Ken Annakin with upbeat music by Ron Goodwin.

One such man who hears of the event was Orvil Newton, an adventurous American cowboy. In a love at first flight, I mean sight, Orvil upon his arrival at the air strip, spys the backside of a beautiful young thing on a bicycle. Looking back she is distracted and falls over.

Patricia Rawnsley, daughter of Lord Rawnsley, is in a fix. Who should come to her rescue, but Orvil, naturally. Being the gallant cowboy he is, he immediately offers her a hand up and attempts to disentangle her from the two wheel contraption. In the struggle to release her, he steps on the hem of her skirt. The skirt rips from the waist of the damsel leaving her standing there in her white but elegant bloomers!

Well, that was not an impressive first impression and she prepares to depart rather abruptly. Orvil happens to mention that he has taken girls flying which gets her attention. But being the proper English woman she is, Partricia informs him that she must be properly and formally introduced and bids him goodbye. She leaves him standing there wishing he could get to know this beauty more intimately.

Shortly thereafter, Orvil drops by the hanger next door to borrow a monkey wrench. The hanger just happens to be utilized by a young army officer, Richard Mays, the fiancé of the charming Patricia. He stores his aircraft there awaiting practice and the planned race across the channel, and as a place to tinker with his machine. As Orvil, starts to leave with the borrowed tool, he happens to notice the pretty maiden, greasing the axle of Richard's airplane. He has put her to work.

Richard introduces Orvil to his bride to be, nice and properly. Both Orvil and Patricia accept the introduction as the formal, if inadvertent, one she requires.

As Orvil gives her a howdy-do, he meanders over to assist her in standing up for a handshake. As she rises, he again steps on the hem of her skirt ...