Which Scorsese film is a biographical drama about Howard Hughes?

The Aviator is Martin Scorsese’s biographical drama about Howard Hughes. Released in 2004, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes, the aviation pioneer, aerospace engineer, film producer, and business magnate.

The story covers Hughes’s rise from Hollywood filmmaker to aviation entrepreneur, focusing largely on the period from 1927 to 1947. It depicts his work on films such as Hell’s Angels, his record-setting flights, his aircraft designs, and his growing struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and fear of contamination.

The film was written by John Logan and was based partly on Charles Higham’s 1993 biography Howard Hughes: The Secret Life. Cate Blanchett plays Katharine Hepburn, while Kate Beckinsale portrays Ava Gardner. Scorsese collaborated with DiCaprio on several later films, but The Aviator was their second feature together after Gangs of New York.

The Aviator received 11 Academy Award nominations and won five Oscars, including Best Supporting Actress for Blanchett. Scorsese was nominated for Best Director, but his first win came later for The Departed.