The second in the series of airborne suspenser thrillers derived from the Arthur Hailey bestseller has another star-studded cast facing death in the skies, as stewardess Karen Black finds herself in charge of a crippled airliner and ever-reliable Charlton Heston flies to the rescue in another plane. Director Jack Smight racks up the tension commendably and, among those strapped into their seats and exhibiting varying degrees of aplomb and hysteria are Gloria Swanson, playing herself, the regulation nuns, Helen Reddy and Martha Scott, Myrna Loy, Sid Caesar and Linda (The Exorcist) Blair. Back in 1957 in Zero Hour! (also from a Hailey story and memorably sent up in Airplane! ) Dana Andrews was the troubled former pilot who saves the day when the crew of an airliner are struck down by food poisoning. Here he's the cause of all the trouble when he crashes his private plane into a trans-continental Boeing. A true trash treat.
