Airport (1970)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

George Seaton

Writers:

Arthur Hailey (novel)
George Seaton (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

5 March 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The #1 novel of the year - now a motion picture!

Plot:

Melodrama about a bomber on board an airplane, an airport almost closed by snow, and various personal problems of the people involved.

Plot Keywords:

Airport | Melodrama | Airplane | Pilot | Bomb

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 17 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Nov. 20

3:00 AM

AMC

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Mel Bakersfeld
Dean Martin	...	Capt. Vernon Demerest
Jean Seberg	...	Tanya Livingston
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Gwen Meighen
George Kennedy	...	Joe Patroni
Helen Hayes	...	Ada Quonsett
Van Heflin	...	D. O. Guerrero
Maureen Stapleton	...	Inez Guerrero
Barry Nelson	...	Capt. Anson Harris
Dana Wynter	...	Cindy Bakersfeld
Lloyd Nolan	...	Harry Standish
Barbara Hale	...	Sarah Bakersfeld Demerest
Gary Collins	...	Cy Jordan
John Findlater	...	Peter Coakley
Jessie Royce Landis	...	Mrs. Harriet DuBarry Mossman

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | France:U | Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:16 (f) | USA:G (Certificate #22114) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-8 | Iceland:L | Norway:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The field and terminal scenes were filmed entirely at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport due to the abundance of snowfall during the winter months there, although at first the film's producers were forced to use bleached sawdust as a supplement, to make up for the lack of falling snow, until a snowstorm hit the Twin Cities area during the production of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Joe Patroni is explaining to the management about the aftermath of the bomb on the 707, his unlit cigar is suddenly lit and smoke is circling as if it has been lit the entire time.

Quotes:

Meadowwood Homeowner: For this food, for our many blessings, and for Your bounteous goodness, we give thanks to Thee in the name of... JESUS CHRIST!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friends: The One with All the Poker (#1.18)" (1995)

A Great Film with Great Actors

Airport is a classic film that was one of the films that began the disaster film genre. It contains great actors like Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, George Kennedy and Jaquline Bissett. Helen Hayes won the films only Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her comic role as the Stow away. I have one question. Where was George Kennedy's Oscar? I think he should have recieved an Oscar for his role as Joe Patronni. To recieve 10 Oscar nominations is an incredible achievement for a film of this Genre. Alfred Newman gives an upbeat and suspenseful music score and Ernest Laszlo's cinematography is good. Altogether, this film is a great one and there isn't any down spots that I noticed. Dean Martin was great as the smart mouthed airline pilot and Burt Lancaster as Bakerfeld, the airport manager. Van Hefiln was also good because he made you believe that his character had problems. A great film, worth your time to watch.