"The Aviator" is a fascinating account of the life of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. His various successes and failures in a wide array of endeavors makes for an inspirational and interesting saga of a mysterious figure mostly known these days for the strange behavior he displayed in his later years. The film highlights his earlier genius which made him an American legend and a figure bigger than life. It also reveals the destructive progression of a compulsive disorder and the very sad circumstances that can result from such a disease if left untreated.