Summary
When an in-flight collision incapacitates the pilots of an airplane bound for Los Angeles, stewardess Nancy Pryor is forced to take over the controls. From the ground, her boyfriend Alan Murdock, a retired test pilot, tries to talk her through piloting and landing the 747 aircraft. Worse yet, the anxious passengers — among which are a noisy nun and a cranky man — are aggravating the already tense atmosphere.
Cast
Charlton Heston
Alan Murdock
Karen Black
Nancy Pryor
George Kennedy
Joe Patroni
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Captain Stacy
Susan Clark
Helen Patroni
Helen Reddy
Sister Ruth
Linda Blair
Janice Abbott
Dana Andrews
Scott Freeman
Roy Thinnes
Urias
Sid Caesar
Barney
Myrna Loy
Mrs. Devaney
Ed Nelson
Major John Alexander
Nancy Olson
Mrs. Abbott
Larry Storch
Glenn Purcell
Martha Scott
Sister Beatrice
Jerry Stiller
Sam
Norman Fell
Bill
Conrad Janis
Arnie
Beverly Garland
Mrs. Scott Freeman
Linda Harrison
Winnie
Guy Stockwell
Colonel Moss
Erik Estrada
Julio
Kip Niven
Lt. Thatcher
Charles White
Fat Man
Brian Morrison
Joseph Patroni, Jr.
Amy Farrell
Amy
Irene Tsu
Carol
Ken Sansom
Gary
Alan Fudge
Danton
Christopher Norris
Bette
Austin Stoker
Air Force Sergeant
John Lupton
Oringer
Gene Dynarski
1st. Friend
Aldine King
Aldine
Sharon Gless
Sharon
Laurette Spang
Arlene
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Mary Margaret Amato
Diane (uncredited)
Selma Archerd
Passenger (uncredited)
David Baker
Rev. Bob Herron (uncredited)
Barbara Baldavin
Passenger (uncredited)
Rochelle Balin
Passenger (uncredited)
Ray Ballard
Passenger (uncredited)
Billy Beck
Funeral Director (uncredited)
Marjorie Bennett
50th Anniversary Celebrant (uncredited)
Carol Brooks
Passenger (uncredited)
David Carlile
Fred Fuller (uncredited)
Jolivett Cato
Passenger (uncredited)
Diana Chesney
Diana (uncredited)
Ed Connelly
Pilot (uncredited)
Edwin Cook
Rock Singer (uncredited)
Natalie Core
Fern (uncredited)
Joan Crosby
Passenger (uncredited)
Wade Crosby
Andy Birdson (uncredited)
Joyce Cunning
Needlepoint Woman Passenger (uncredited)
Tom Curtis
Passenger (uncredited)
Maria Diane
Denise (uncredited)
Jim Drum
Passenger (uncredited)
Lou Fant
Needlepoint Woman's Husband (uncredited)
Cay Forester
Mary Chilcutt (uncredited)
Susan French
Violet (uncredited)
John Furlong
Mr. Taylor (uncredited)
James W. Gavin
Corporate Jet Pilot (uncredited)
Ted Gehring
Mechanic (uncredited)
Redmond Gleeson
Passenger (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg
Lily (uncredited)
Bob Hastings
Freeman's Friend at Airport (uncredited)
Monika Henreid
Nini Martin (uncredited)
Pitt Herbert
Passenger (uncredited)
Tad Horino
Passenger (uncredited)
Robert Ito
Passenger (uncredited)
Jeanne Joe
Passenger (uncredited)
Virginia Vincent
Gina Arriba - Passenger (uncredited)
Lloyd Kino
Passenger (uncredited)
Charles Seel
50th Anniversary Celebrant - Passenger (uncredited)
George Wyner
Harry - Passenger That Sees the Oil Leak (uncredited)
Robert Lussier
Harleigh
Crew
Director
Jack Smight
Novel
Arthur Hailey
Writer
Don Ingalls
Reviews
John Chard
November 17, 2019
5
There's just a hole where the pilots usually sit!
A 747 in flight collides with a small plane and is rendered pilotless. With one of the cabin crew stewardesses forced to take the helm, the control tower must try to get a pilot aboard so the jet can land safely...
With the disaster genre of film now in full effect by the mid 70s, it was inevitable that we would see a follow up to the forerunner that was Airport (1970). One again we get a star cast list, this time thrust into mid-air peril where standard genre conventions apply. Unfortunately this is one of the weakest genre entries of the decade, where suspense is hard to find, and in fact it often comes off like unintentional comedy. Draw card actor Charlton Heston is wasted, as is George Kennedy, while the predictability factor of how it will pan out sort of kills hope of a thrilling finale.
Not a total stinker, there's some nice aerial sequences, some rich characterisations, and Karen Black as the under duress cabin crew member trying to fly the plane, is at least convincing enough to sell the terror of the situation. But really it's a tough sell, especially when you consider that genre highlight "The Towering Inferno" was released this same year. 5/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$3,000,000.00
Revenue:
$47,000,000.00
Keywords
Recommendations
Airport '77
Trilogy of Terror
The Concorde... Airport '79
Who's Minding the Store?
Midway
North Sea Hijack
The Final Countdown
Death Wish
Bringing Out the Dead
The Towering Inferno
Arlington Road
Planet of the Apes
Easy Rider
Trainwreck
Superman
The First Omen
The King
Where the Crawdads Sing
Chronicle
