Cliche-bound but boosted by taut direction, memorable music and, for once, just right for CinemaScope. Wayne is a has-been pilot--"an ancient pelican" according to airline executive Toomey--now copiloting under the command of cocky Stack. Also on board is an inept navigator, Brown, and an
apprentice pilot, Campbell, who constantly derides Wayne, even bringing up a terrible crash occurring years earlier which Wayne survived but in which his wife and young child were killed.
Beautiful, statuesque, and cool stewardess Doe Avedon makes 22 passengers comfortable as the airliner leaves Honolulu for San Francisco. Her passengers: divorce-seeking Day and Howard; shady mail-order bride Sterling; wacko theatrical impresario Newton; jaded, bitter Trevor; pompous playboy Brian
who is being stalked by vengeful Blackmer; oblivious newlyweds Smith and Sharpe; guilty nuclear scientist Kelly; and second honeymooners Doran and Harris. Then, all hell breaks loose, forcing everyone to face each other, "reality," and a competitive race for acting honors.
Wellman does a dynamite job directing air traffic; though characters are drawn only briefly, they are tellingly etched with pathos and melodrama. Wayne's performance as the one fixed and reliable point in a collapsing world got him voted him the number one box-office attraction, replacing Gary
Cooper. Oddly, Wayne, who coproduced the film, intended to have Spencer Tracy play the pioneer pilot role but when that venerable actor turned down the part Wayne took it over himself. The haunting title song became so closely associated with Wayne that when this giant died it was this score that
was played during his funeral. leave a comment
