The film begins with a plane in flight from Lisbon to New York. While it's over the Atlantic, one engine catches fire and must be extinguished. Only moments later, a second engine dies. Now, with only two working engines, the plane must prepare for a possible crash into the ocean. Then, abruptly, the film switches to just before the crash. Events leading to the crash in the tough-as-nails pilot's life (Gary Merrill) are shown as well as the loading of the passengers on the fated flight. This is an odd style--showing the plane as it seems about to crash and then starting the film over, so to speak. Then, after the movie works its way back to the engine failures, you watch as the plane prepares to make an emergency landing into the ocean--in real life, an almost certain death for everyone.
The film is a good, tense film. Because there are a few other better 1950s air disaster films (such as "The High and the Mighty" and "Zero Hour!", this one looks a bit average in comparison. Not a bad film in the least due to pretty good acting by the mostly no-name cast and decent writing. This is a great contrast to the air disaster films of the 70s, where big-name "guest stars" and sillier plots were the norm. The only negative was the landing itself--the special effects were less than special--the plane looked very much like a toy plane. In addition, it was amazingly easy and trouble-free--something an ocean landing not be like in the least! By the way, this isn't meant to be snarky about another person's review, but the plane in the film isn't a DC-3. Other than they are both propeller-driven planes, the one in the film (it's either a DC-6 or 7) and the two propeller DC-3 are little alike.
The film is a good, tense film. Because there are a few other better 1950s air disaster films (such as "The High and the Mighty" and "Zero Hour!", this one looks a bit average in comparison. Not a bad film in the least due to pretty good acting by the mostly no-name cast and decent writing. This is a great contrast to the air disaster films of the 70s, where big-name "guest stars" and sillier plots were the norm. The only negative was the landing itself--the special effects were less than special--the plane looked very much like a toy plane. In addition, it was amazingly easy and trouble-free--something an ocean landing not be like in the least! By the way, this isn't meant to be snarky about another person's review, but the plane in the film isn't a DC-3. Other than they are both propeller-driven planes, the one in the film (it's either a DC-6 or 7) and the two propeller DC-3 are little alike.