Zero Hour (1957)

When a major case of food poisoning disables the pilot (Elroy Hirsch) and co-pilot as well as many passengers, it’s up to a passenger (Dana Andrews) who was a fighter pilot in WWII but traumatized into giving up flying to overcome his demons and bring the plane in safely. Based on a 1956 teleplay by Arthur Hailey (AIRPORT) and directed by Hall Bartlett, this film is perhaps most infamously known as the inspiration for the comedy AIRPLANE (a parody of airplane disaster films) which took not only ZERO HOUR’s plot but in many instances, verbatim dialogue. Is it that bad? Not at all, it's no THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY but its pretty standard airline in peril stuff, indifferently acted and economically done. Still, if one has seen AIRPLANE it’s almost impossible not to compare the two films. Indeed, the performance of the stone faced Sterling Hayden could be lifted directly onto AIRPLANE and fit in perfectly. But it's still a solid and entertaining effort that deserves better than its AIRPLANE legacy and it holds up better than the 80s juvenile humor of AIRPLANE. The cast includes Linda Darnell as Andrews’ wife, Peggy King as the stewardess, Jerry Paris, Maxine Cooper, John Ashley, Hope Summers and Katherine Warren.