I saw this movie years ago (I think it was on CBS in 1979 when John Wayne died) and the only thing I remembered was when Wayne slapped Robert Stack. Sadly, it hasn't held up. And this film being one of the inspirations for "Airplane" didn't help - I kept laughing at dialogue that wasn't supposed to be funny! Yes, the film score is memorable and the movie is beautifully shot, but this is one planeload of cardboard characters, stitched together with cornball flashbacks and unintentionally hilarious voice-overs (Stack's rambling inner monologue makes you wonder what he's been smoking). There is, however, one really good moment - Jan Sterling's "makeup" scene. That was very well done, and Sterling really held my attention. Would that the rest of the movie had been as good. I also liked the 50s depiction of air travel - men in suits, women in jewelry and everybody brandishing cigarettes. But that's about all I can recommend. Sorry, John Wayne fans.
Review of The High and the Mighty
