MovieChat Forums > Airport 1975 (1974) Discussion > Sexist (I wonder)

Sexist (I wonder)

posted 17 years ago by Onslow1965
23 replies | jump to latest

Has anybody realized just how sexist this film is? By the way, that was sarcasim there. I mean even for 1975 the dialouge is gut wrenchingly sexist. Why couldn't Karen Black land the plane. Doris Day did in a film back in the sixties (The name escapes me for the moment I think it was Julie or something like that)where she landed a plane. But if Karen Black had landed the plane we would have missed Chuck Heston's brave heroics. On second thought that might not have been a bad idea.

[–] JERSEYKID75 17 years ago

Come on, that was a 747 with alot of damage to the controls. They had to talk to her like she was a 5 year old to get her to turn the plane. If Al Mudock didn't board the plane then he would notice the number 3 engine running hot, not to mention how the hell would Karen Black handle landing with no breaks? Would she know that there was 10 bac up systems, would she know to reverse the thrusters? Professional pilots have caused accidents by make one slight mistake, Karen Black was not trained to handle that kind of problem.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] CromeRose 16 years ago

Anybody with half a brain could land one of those things so long as someone was talking them through it. It's not brain surgery you know.

Watch Bedbug on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QI_1YSXt8Y

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] JERSEYKID75 16 years ago

Thank you, I don't think a beginner can land a broken 747. Under perfect conditions with no wind, no rain, every single control is operating perfectly, a novice user would still have trouble.

[–] CromeRose 16 years ago

I didn't say it would be easy, I said it wasn't brain surgery, which it's not. But okay, I'll give you that a lot of the controls were damaged, but I still say that anyone with half a brain could land one of those planes if they were talked through it. But more to the point, a novie woman could do it as well as a novice man.

Watch Bedbug on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QI_1YSXt8Y

[–] franzkabuki 16 years ago

Traffic controlers may talk all they please and make it sound simple, but with someone with no training or experience at the controls, they woulda been mighty lucky to get that thing on the ground safely. Things like approaching the runway at the wrong angle happen to seasoned pilots quite often and with a stewardess flying it, she´d probably smash to the ground before even unterstanding what she´s SUPPOSED to be doing & how to handle a go-around. It´s about the little things and timing ones actions. There´s just too much to be done and pay attention to in a very little time. There´s a reason for the active presence of the co-pilot calling out the altitudes and running the check lists - otherwise there´d be a serious danger for the pilot on the flying duty to get distracted by all this stuff that needs to be taken care of.

[–] stephanyjml 16 years ago

I agree with you guys, it would have been very difficult for somebody with no training to land a 747 - even if it was not damaged. Let's also keep in mind that their communication via radio was in and out.

Having said that, the movie is sexist but in a funny 70's way.

[–] lordrosemount 15 years ago

I suspect her problems had more to do with the fact that she was a novice than that she was a woman, and either one of us would have had at least as difficult a time being talked through landing a broken aeroplane.

[–] turtletommy 15 years ago

From the Salon.com "Ask the Pilot" column by commercial pilot Patrick Smith:

http://www.salon.com/tech/col/smith/2009/05/01/askthepilot318/index.ht ml

(Here's how he sums up the chance of a non-pilot safely landing a 737):

"Meanwhile, I stand by my comment about the chances of a non-pilot -- that is, an individual lacking formal flight training -- safely landing a commercial airplane. Despite what you may have seen in contrived, made-for-TV movies, it would be all but impossible. The nonpilot has about as much chance of landing a 737 as somebody without medical training performing successful brain surgery."

[–] ChristmasStan 10 years ago

Listen she never flew a plane before. Also people "panic". She could of freaked out upon landing & could of caused a crash! Trust me I have been around a long time and seen "people" freak out at nothing.

[–] Kent_Kainer 10 years ago

But there was nobody. Contact was lost.

And newbies have no clue how to act in sudden upcoming situations that leave no time for a q&a.

---
Lincoln Lee: I lost a partner.
Peter Bishop: I lost a universe!

[–] MarilynM0814 8 years ago

Perhaps they could have utilized the blinded but still conscious pilot more...he could have talked her through it from inside the plane. As far as sexist, yes, Karen and all the other other women are called 'Honey,' not just by Charlton but also by George - Bette, the blonde stewardess is called 'Mommy' by Erik Estrada. (BTW, the actress's name was 'Christopher Norris' - in this day and age, she'd be accused of being transgender) It's unfortunate that the characters of the 'stewardesses' as written were not even good at keeping the passengers calm, in their seats or under control at all. Jacqueline Bisset in the original 'Airport' ran after the bomber and lost an eye and her baby as well, with her heroics. And yes, Doris Day was "Julie" in 1956.

[–] rruthven 16 years ago

It may be sexist but at least it is not pc like todays films which renders most of them as bland indistinguishable amd boring

[–] Kenneth_Loring 15 years ago

I don't think it was sexist. I just don't think you can teach a flight attendant(male or female) how to fly and land a plane over the radio. I don't think I would be capable either. The responsibility and burden ideally should rest on the shoulders of somebody with plenty of flying experience.

[–] daedalus1337 14 years ago

women can't do that kind of stuff...

and the film wasn't very sexy, not sure what you mean

[–] maulrat-1 13 years ago

I didn't think it was sexist from your point of view of not being able to land the plane ... HOWEVER, the amount of times they called Karen Black "honey" seemed it ... it drove me up a wall to the point of almost wanting to to an official honey count

[–] bradford-1 13 years ago

It wasn't the fact that she was a woman, it was that she was untrained as a pilot. If the Sid Caesar or Normal Fell characters had pressed in pilot duty, the same problems would have existed.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"

[–] jimmmylee 13 years ago

YEAH!!!! The way CH kept calling KB 'honey' while talking her through it was so ANNOYING. That part wasn't nessecary, at least not that many times in such a patronizing way.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] ChristmasStan 10 years ago

They were bf/gf. He was trying to keep her calm.

[–] phillindholm 10 years ago

Do you REALLY want to be aboard a plane piloted by a cross-eyed stewardess?.

[–] robertrmeiers 9 years ago

I just love the way the flight crew viewed the stewardesses as little more than sex objects with great sets of gams, oh for the good old days...