This Film Does Not Age Well

Sometimes a film comes along that gives us a glimpse into what life was like in a previous era. This is one of them. Passengers all dressed up in cocktail clothes to travel by airplane. Those old days when you could simply buy a ticket and walk aboard without any sort of inspection of person or baggage. Planes that flew low and slow and could hold only two dozen passengers.

Unfortunately, that is about all this film is worth.

The acting is atrocious - especially the passengers but also the pilot and navigator. We are told the crew are WWII veterans (except for the First Officer) but they come apart like a cheap sweater in a high wind. Like some low budget horror film the passengers go from slumber-like to out of control in a heartbeat. And although this is one of the very first "disaster" films the passengers already seem like stereotypes.

The directing is also suspect. Disjoint background stories of the passengers with little or no continuity. The aircraft makes it all the way home then the passengers get off as though they were lining up on the Red Carpet instead of deplaning rapidly from the vehicle that almost killed them. One sole representative of the airline meets the plane although the crowd of reporters indicates their arrival must be some sort of miracle. The crew just go home - no debriefing or meaningful conversation with the airline officers or anyone else. In short, totally unrealistic.

This film is full of big names who, without exception, fell flat on their acting faces.