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Spanning nearly two decades in the life of billionaire entrepreneur, aeronautics visionary, bold Hollywood producer, and fearless pilot, Howard Hughes, Martin Scorsese's "Aviator" opens with the independent-minded tycoon investing large sums of money in Hell's Angels (1930), the most expensive silent film ever. Eccentric, charismatic, but also a chronic sufferer of obsessive-compulsive disorder, Howard Hughes became notorious for his romantic affairs with Hollywood iconic actresses Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Ginger Rogers, and Jean Harlow. As an intrepid pilot, Howard Hughes broke every flying record, created TWA, had a near-death experience while test-piloting the XF-11 military reconnaissance aircraft, and locked horns with Maine Senator Owen Brewster and Pan Am in a legal battle over exclusivity on international air travel. However, Hughes' inner demons and aggressive phobias threatened his entire fortune, putting his life at risk.