No Highway (1951)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Nevil Shute (novel)
R.C. Sherriff (writer) ...

Release Date:

21 September 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

EXCITEMENT and SUSPENSE 18,000 Feet Over the Atlantic!

Plot:

An aeronautical engineer predicts that a new model of plane will fail catastrophically and in a novel manner after a specific number flying hours.

Plot Keywords:

Metal Fatigue | Beautiful Woman | Actor | Airplane | Aviation

Cast

James Stewart	...	Theodore Honey
Marlene Dietrich	...	Monica Teasdale
Glynis Johns	...	Marjorie Corder
Jack Hawkins	...	Dennis Scott
Janette Scott	...	Elspeth Honey
Elizabeth Allan	...	Shirley Scott
Ronald Squire	...	Sir John, Director
Jill Clifford	...	Peggy, Stewardess

Also Known As:

No Highway in the Sky (USA)

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:U (original rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #14864)

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Productions

Trivia:

The concept of an airliner suffering catastrophic failure due to metal fatigue after a certain number of flight cycles, as outlined in the 1948 novel and this 1951 film, came true with the failures of the de Havilland Comet in 1954. There are a number of eerie parallels between the fictional account and the later actual events.

Quotes:

Monica Teasdale: The scientist says the plane is going to crash, the captain says it's not. Your vote doesn't count because you have to side with the captain which means it's a tie.
[the propellers slow]
Monica Teasdale: What's that?
Marjorie Corder: He seems to be saving fuel.
Monica Teasdale: He wouldn't do that without a reason.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Boom! Hollywood's Greatest Disaster Movies (2000) (V)

An Interesting Film

This is one of James Stewart's lesser known films made during the post WWII period when Stewart was unsure what direction his Hollywood career would take him. I recently discovered this film on cable and found it to play somewhat like a long "Twilight Zone" episode where Stewart's character who is a scientist tries to convince the pilot of a transatlantic flight that the airline's structure will collapse and that everyone will be killed unless they turn back. Fine performances by Stewart and the supporting cast make this a watchable film.