Amelia
A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.
The film box office disappointment against its moderate budget of $40.0M, earning $19.6M globally (-51% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its innovative storytelling within the adventure genre.
3 wins & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Amelia (2009) showcases precise plot construction, characteristic of Mira Nair's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 51 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Amelia Earhart
George Putnam
Gene Vidal
Eleanor Roosevelt
Fred Noonan
Main Cast & Characters
Amelia Earhart
Played by Hilary Swank
Pioneering aviator who becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, driven by ambition and the need to prove herself in a male-dominated field.
George Putnam
Played by Richard Gere
Amelia's husband and publicist who promotes her career while struggling with their unconventional marriage and her independence.
Gene Vidal
Played by Ewan McGregor
Aviation pioneer and Amelia's romantic interest who shares her passion for flying and offers emotional connection beyond her marriage.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Played by Cherry Jones
First Lady who befriends Amelia and shares her progressive views on women's independence and social reform.
Fred Noonan
Played by Christopher Eccleston
Experienced navigator who accompanies Amelia on her final, fateful attempt to circumnavigate the globe.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Amelia Earhart prepares for her final flight around the world in 1937, already famous and accomplished. Opening establishes her as a celebrated aviator at the peak of her career.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Amelia successfully crosses the Atlantic as a passenger in 1928, becoming instantly famous. Though she didn't pilot, the celebrity disrupts her quiet life and launches her into the public eye.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Amelia accepts George's marriage proposal on her own terms, with a letter outlining her need for freedom and independence. She chooses to combine personal life with professional ambition., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat False victory turns to complication: Amelia's affair with Gene intensifies but she realizes it threatens everything she's built with George. She must choose between passion and partnership. The stakes of fame and personal sacrifice become clear., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Amelia and navigator Fred Noonan depart on the final leg to Howland Island. Communication fails, they cannot find the tiny island, fuel runs critically low. The "whiff of death" - we know this is the flight from which she never returned., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 91 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 82% of the runtime. Amelia's final radio transmission. Acceptance of fate. She chose this path knowing the risks. The synthesis of her need for freedom with the ultimate price - her life becomes her legend., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Amelia's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Amelia against these established plot points, we can identify how Mira Nair utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Amelia within the adventure genre.
Mira Nair's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Mira Nair films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Amelia takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Mira Nair filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Bad Guys and Zoom. For more Mira Nair analyses, see The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding and Mississippi Masala.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Amelia Earhart prepares for her final flight around the world in 1937, already famous and accomplished. Opening establishes her as a celebrated aviator at the peak of her career.
Theme
George Putnam tells Amelia: "The trick is to live long enough to become a legend." The film's central question about fame, legacy, and the price of ambition is established.
Worldbuilding
Flashback to 1928. Amelia meets promoter George Putnam who wants her to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Establishes the world of 1920s-30s aviation, gender barriers, and Amelia's determination to be more than a passenger.
Disruption
Amelia successfully crosses the Atlantic as a passenger in 1928, becoming instantly famous. Though she didn't pilot, the celebrity disrupts her quiet life and launches her into the public eye.
Resistance
Amelia navigates newfound fame with George's guidance. She struggles with being celebrated for something she didn't fully do. George proposes marriage multiple times; she resists, determined to prove herself as a real pilot first.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Amelia accepts George's marriage proposal on her own terms, with a letter outlining her need for freedom and independence. She chooses to combine personal life with professional ambition.
Mirror World
Amelia meets Gene Vidal, a charming aviator and airline executive. Their connection represents an alternative path - freedom versus commitment, passion versus partnership with George.
Premise
Amelia achieves her dreams: flying solo across the Atlantic (1932), setting records, becoming a cultural icon. Romance develops with Gene Vidal. The promise of the premise - watching Amelia soar both literally and metaphorically.
Midpoint
False victory turns to complication: Amelia's affair with Gene intensifies but she realizes it threatens everything she's built with George. She must choose between passion and partnership. The stakes of fame and personal sacrifice become clear.
Opposition
Amelia ends the affair with Gene, choosing her marriage and career partnership with George. Financial pressures mount. She needs one more spectacular flight to secure her legacy and finances. Planning begins for the around-the-world flight.
Collapse
Amelia and navigator Fred Noonan depart on the final leg to Howland Island. Communication fails, they cannot find the tiny island, fuel runs critically low. The "whiff of death" - we know this is the flight from which she never returned.
Crisis
Radio transmissions become desperate. Amelia and Fred are lost over the Pacific. Ground crews and George listen helplessly. The darkness of inevitable loss settles in as fuel depletes and hope fades.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Amelia's final radio transmission. Acceptance of fate. She chose this path knowing the risks. The synthesis of her need for freedom with the ultimate price - her life becomes her legend.
Synthesis
Search efforts fail to find Amelia. George and the world process the loss. Flashbacks and voiceover reflect on her philosophy: "Everyone has oceans to fly." Her legacy is cemented not despite her death, but because of her courage.
Transformation
Final image mirrors the opening: Amelia in flight, free and purposeful. She became the legend George predicted, but on her own terms. The price was her life, but she lived fully and inspired generations.