All about an alcoholic airline pilot.
I have no sympathy for this jerk of a pilot who cowers in the airplane toilet to retrieve a flask which he has hidden under the wash basin beforehand so he can have a snort while in flight. When he has completed his groggy ritual, he replaces the flask and strides back to the cockpit to strap himself in and fly his passengers to safety as any excellent pilot would with bravery and a clear head-- wait a minute!
Cliff Robertson is his usual stoic self, Frank Converse takes up space in the chair he sits in, Diane Baker is wasted as the flier's mistress, Gordon MacRae is a fat executive, Dana Andrews is the company bigwig, and Eddie Binns does what he can with the boring dialogue.
It's somewhat humorous to hear Captain Drunkard make the following P.A. announcement: "Folks, we've got a rare treat for you -- we're going to be able to fly A LOT LOWER".... so Captain Boozer can deliver a junior grade SIGHT-SEEING trip! I am of the opinion that the pilot should just fly the plane and get us to where we're going. Of course, 1980 (the year of this film's release) was a different time, in some ways a better one, but in contemporary society, I surely would want to be asked to participate in a vote as to whether or not I wish to be flown LOWER than the recommended safe altitude. The stupid co-pilot suspects (he says he knows for sure) that the captain is drinking while flying, but he says nothing to the authorities. Thanks a lot, 'co-pilot'.
Not so great a movie, but better than that similar Denzel Washington flick called 'Flight' (2012). Now that REALLY sucked!
I have no sympathy for this jerk of a pilot who cowers in the airplane toilet to retrieve a flask which he has hidden under the wash basin beforehand so he can have a snort while in flight. When he has completed his groggy ritual, he replaces the flask and strides back to the cockpit to strap himself in and fly his passengers to safety as any excellent pilot would with bravery and a clear head-- wait a minute!
Cliff Robertson is his usual stoic self, Frank Converse takes up space in the chair he sits in, Diane Baker is wasted as the flier's mistress, Gordon MacRae is a fat executive, Dana Andrews is the company bigwig, and Eddie Binns does what he can with the boring dialogue.
It's somewhat humorous to hear Captain Drunkard make the following P.A. announcement: "Folks, we've got a rare treat for you -- we're going to be able to fly A LOT LOWER".... so Captain Boozer can deliver a junior grade SIGHT-SEEING trip! I am of the opinion that the pilot should just fly the plane and get us to where we're going. Of course, 1980 (the year of this film's release) was a different time, in some ways a better one, but in contemporary society, I surely would want to be asked to participate in a vote as to whether or not I wish to be flown LOWER than the recommended safe altitude. The stupid co-pilot suspects (he says he knows for sure) that the captain is drinking while flying, but he says nothing to the authorities. Thanks a lot, 'co-pilot'.
Not so great a movie, but better than that similar Denzel Washington flick called 'Flight' (2012). Now that REALLY sucked!