This is an exciting movie! You can tell by the title!
Gosh, I wonder if there’s a backstory for one of these actor’s names:
No, “Paris” was probably his given name. What? Elroy? Oh. He was a running back for the Rams and other teams, and wikipedia says he got the name for his peculiar running style. “Hirsch was born in Wausau, Wisconsin. He developed his running style running cross legged over four square cement sidewalk blocks in his home town.” Goes without saying: citation needed. Wackylimbs was the director of Athletics for the U of W at Madison for many years, and died of natural causes in 2004.
As for Jerry Paris:
Yes, it’s Rob Petrie’s neighbor. He’s the comic relief here, sort of. And brother, the film could use a little; it’s a grim story. The opening shots of war footage tell us what happened to the main character. He had a bad time in the war. Made some mistakes - the sort of mistakes fine pilots make. You couldn’t fault him, but he never forgave himself. He lost of a lot of good men that day. Lost his nerve. Never flew again. Drank a bit. Drank a lot. Then came the fateful day he found himself on a plane with his estranged beloved.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ted Striker:
The original nervous flier, this one. Well, no need for him to worry. He's a passenger. It's not like he's going to be asked to fly the plane!
No, they have pilots for that.
Kind, friendly pilots, who welcome young boys into the cockpit, ask them about their lives, their hobbies, their movie preferences:
Then something very, very bad happens. It's the in-flight meal. It's bad. The people who had the chicken are horribly sick, and wouldn't you know it: both pilots had the chicken. It's up to Ted Striker to fly the plane. Ted insists he can't do it, he's out of practice, he's haunted, his nerves are shot! Shot, I tell you! Ground control knows he's the only chance, so they get his former Commanding Officer to talk him down. Sterling Hayden, in full pissed-off-lumber mode.
Believe me, it's going to be a long night: (flash video.)
On the plane, people are constantly bringing up subjects that are related, but not imperative to solving the problem at hand.
No, that's not important right now. Will Ted Striker bring the plane down safely? Can he conquer his fears? It's a gripping movie, a tense and efficient thriller.
