The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Director:

David Lowell Rich

Writers:

Arthur Hailey (novel)
Jennings Lang (story)

Release Date:

17 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

At twice the speed of sound, can the Concorde evade attack?

Plot:

This film is the last of the 'Airport' genre which stars George Kennedy again in his aviation-disaster...

Plot Keywords:

Missile | Concorde | Airplane | Aviation | Terminal

Cast

Alain Delon	...	Capt. Paul Metrand
Susan Blakely	...	Maggie Whelan
Robert Wagner	...	Dr. Kevin Harrison
Sylvia Kristel	...	Isabelle
George Kennedy	...	Capt. Joe Patroni
Eddie Albert	...	Eli Sands
Bibi Andersson	...	Francine
Charo	...	Margarita
John Davidson	...	Robert Palmer
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Alicia Rogov
Martha Raye	...	Loretta
Cicely Tyson	...	Elaine
Jimmie Walker	...	Boisie
David Warner	...	Peter O'Neill
Mercedes McCambridge	...	Nelli

Also Known As:

Airport '79 (USA) (short title)
Airport '80: The Concorde (Philippines: English title)
Airport 1979 (International: English title) (informal title)
Airport 1980 (International: English title) (informal title)
The Concorde (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

123 min | USA:103 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A | UK:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Singapore:PG | USA:PG (Certificate #25694) | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Norway:12

Filming Locations:

Alta, Utah, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

When this film was greeted with derisive laughter by American audiences, Universal decided to market it as a comedy, with the tagline: "Fasten your seatbelts, the thrills are terrific... and so are the laughs!"

Goofs:

Continuity: During Patroni's conversation with Maggie in the cockpit, the belt of his shoulder harness slips down off his shoulder, then changes position between shots.

Quotes:

Capt. Joe Patroni: I've flown just about every type of aircraft through three wars and forty pounds. Only thing I'm afraid of is heights. Are you afraid of anything, Metrand?
Capt. Paul Metrand: American pilots.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Mach 2 (2001)

Not a Comedy

This movie is scary at times, perhaps no more so than when a naked George Kennedy tells his hooker girlfriend he wants a little more sugar. Thankfully his nakedness is covered by a blanket, but the image is still more horrifying than anything you're likely to find in, for example, Schindler's List.

The dialog in this film was inspiring; it inspired me to watch another movie. In one scene, when a stewardess remarks about male pilots, Kennedy asks, "Why do you think it's called a 'cock' pit?" Charming.

And yes, contrary to what some have written, this film is very, very bad.