Yes, Virginia, ''Zero Hour'' was the film lampooned (or is that ''harpooned')' by ''Airplane'' (1980). Scripted by Arthur Haley-who would go on to invigorate the Airplane Disaster franchise with his best selling novel ''Airport'' which, in turn became a blockbuster film, It was first seen as a television drama. This low-budget big screen remake came along shortly after. It stars Dana (''The Best Years Of Our Lives'') Andrews as one-time Military Pilot Ted Stryker, Linda (''Forever Amber'') Darnell as his wife Ellen, and Sterling (''Johnny Guitar'') Hayden. Stryker, who made a boo-boo during the war, which cost several of his fellow soldiers their lives, is still traumatized by the experience, and his marriage is breaking up as a result. When his wife finally takes their son and leaves him, Andrews gallops to the airport just in time to hop on the same plane, and, off they go. Shortly after dinner, those passengers who chose the fish over the lamb chops get violently ill. Since the Captain (Football Great Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch) is one of those immobilized by the Blue Plate Special, it falls to Andrews, the only Pilot handy, to fly the plane. Naturally reluctant, it takes Captain Treleavin (Hayden) who is very aware of Andrew's past to talk him into the Pilot's seat. And, there he sits, with wife Darnell (wo)manning the controls at his side. Though she is distracted by her son's illness-(yes, he chose the fish,) she does what she can. Even without the ''Airplane'' connection, there is plenty of fun to be had watching the actors try to get through this. Sadly, Andrews and Darnell, who were seen to much greater advantage in ''Fallen Angel'' twelve years earlier, were both heavy drinkers by this time, and it showed. The once-gorgeous Darnell now plump and blowzy looking and Andrews, dissipated and lined, have no chemistry together here, though his usual ramrod-straight playing is, at least appropriate. Hayden, as stiff as Jack Webb in ''Dragnet'', barks his lines like a drill sergeant-which is not necessarily a bad thing. Then, there's Jerry Paris (The Dick Van Dyke Show'') who hams it up as the boyfriend of Marriage-Minded Stewardess Peggy King. Darnell, though, has the film's best line-''Ted, what are you doing? YOU can't fly this plane!''. Although there are some familiar faces among the puking passengers, they are given short shrift,As for the Doctor (Geoffrey Toone) his idea of seatside manner is to lie to the patients. Still, despite the silliness, the film moves along fairly quickly, before it reaches a ridiculous conclusion. Poor Dana would end up in two more Airplane Disaster flicks (''The Crowded Sky'' and ''Airport 1975'')before he was through.And director Hall Bartlett would tackle more Classics like ''The Caretakers'' and ''Jonathan Livingston Seagull''.After it's unspectacular debut, ''Zero Hour'' was quickly forgotten, and would likely have remained so, if not for ''Airplane''. For some viewers (like me) there is a lot to enjoy, though by the climax, others may be wishing that everyone on board had eaten the fish. Still, before ''Airplane'' burst onto the scene, this was remade yet again for television, titled ''Terror In The Sky''. The DVD release of ''Zero Hour'' issued by Warner Brothers as part of their ''Cult Camp Classics'' series, is a spotless anamorphic transfer which includes the original trailer. It has recently gone out of print, so, those who want it in their collection had better grab it now, before the price balloons on EBAY.
Review of Zero Hour!
