THOUGH he is remembered today as an eccentric billionaire who became a mysterious recluse, few know the full story of the industrialist Howard Hughes nor how Hughes, as a young man in love with risk, beauty and technology, became a towering figure who made bold leaps in business, aviation and movies, only to lose himself in a world of fear and paranoia.

This is the story that comes to the fore in Martin Scorsese's new film, The Aviator. The project originated with Leonardo DiCaprio who, after reading about the biography of Hughes at a young age, became passionate in his quest to make a film about this uniquely American life. Several big Hollywood stars had tried to no avail to make movies about Hughes before, but the actor decided to take a different approach he wanted to focus on Hughes's creative and visionary youth, rather than his descent into madness in later years.

"Howard Hughes, the aviator, performed feats of incredible bravery in his life, and I was drawn to the script," says Scorsese.

"Here was a 19th Century-type figure who was a pioneer in two of the greatest phenomena of the 20th Century: aviation, with his innovative designs and speed records, and filmmaking, with such movies as Hell's Angels and Scarface. Hughes was also a great showman, but his story is the story, ultimately, of greed, corruption and madness."

Adds Leonard DiCaprio: "Howard Hughes is probably one of the 20th century's most iconic and mysterious figures and in some ways the more you learn about him the more mysterious he becomes.

"There are so many facets to Howard that it makes him an endlessly fascinating character. Just when you think you have him figured out, there's another layer to the story. He was a dreamer and a visionary, but the irony of it all is that even after all of his accomplishments huge industrialist, pioneering aviator, big-time producer and director at the end of the day he felt very much alone."

"So many people already have a strong impression of Howard Hughes and that alone made the role intimidating," says DiCaprio. "To me, this meant I had to come off as authentic as possible."

To achieve that authenticity, the actor lived and breathed Howard Hughes for months, reading biographies, listening to tape recordings and watching old movies. Joining DiCaprio in bringing the world around Hughes's to life is an ensemble of actors each of whom found a unique fascination in the historical, and in some cases iconic, figures they bring to life.

In the role of Katharine Hepburn perhaps the greatest love of Hughes's life is Cate Blanchett.

"It's one thing to play on screen someone who has lived and breathed, someone people have an image of and regard as an icon, but it's another thing entirely to play her in the very medium in which she has become so revered," says Blanchett.

The role of Ava Gardner, the legendary 1940s screen goddess with whom Howard forms an enduring emotional attachment, went to Kate Beckinsale (pictured inset). She was delighted to play a woman with such a famously iron-jawed constitution.

"I think the story goes that it was Clark Gable who said, Oh, Ava Gardner's a great guy who can drink with the boys and curse with a sailor's mouth but who happens to be trapped inside the body of the world's most beautiful woman.' In other words, she was a terrific gal, big-hearted and salt-of-the earth, and messed up like everyone else."

For the role of Howard Hughes's chief rival and arch-nemesis the Yale-educated head of Pan American Airlines, Juan Trippe the filmmakers looked to Alec Baldwin.

Trippe was nowhere near as well known as Howard Hughes, but is considered by many to be largely responsible for the develop-ment of the modern commercial airline in the United States.

Alan Alda plays Maine Senator Owen Brewster, who tried to bring down Howard Hughes with a public investigation, only to have the tables turned on him; while Jude Law co-stars as Errol Flyn, the bad boy' of Hollywood; and rock singer Gwen Stefani plays Jean Harlow, the 1930s blonde bombshell who became an enormous star in Hughes's film, Hell's Angels.