Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking. – Zero Hour! (1957)
Today on Classic Movie Rev, we are taking on Zero Hour! (1957).
Sometimes, I will watch a comedy film and think it is hilarious. Years later, I find the movie that was being spoofed in the comedy, and the humor takes on another depth of comedy. Three movies come to mind right away. The first of these films is Young Frankenstein (1974). I think Young Frankenstein (1974) is a top-tier comedy. However, when I watched Bride of Frankenstein (1935), I realized Young Frankenstein (1974) took much of the humor and gags directly from the older film. I now enjoy both films thinking of the inside bits.
Another set of movies that falls in this category are Blazing Saddles (1974) and Destry Rides Again (1939). In Destry Rides Again (1939), Marlene Dietrich plays saloon entertainer Frenchy. In Blazing Saddles (1974), Madeline Kahn played Lili Von Shtüpp, an obvious spoof of Dietrich. If you are a James Stewart fan, you will really get a kick out of the sheriff outsmarting the bad guys.
Today’s movie Zero Hour! (1957) is the basis for the amazingly funny Airplane! (1980). However, in Zero Hour! (1957), the plot is deadly serious as passengers and crew slowly become ill from a tainted in-flight fish meal. If it weren’t for the Airplane! (1980) spoof and the incredible star power of Zero Hour! (1957), this film would not really be relevant.
This movie has a fairly low 6.6 rating[1] on iMDB.com. On rottentomatoes.com, this movie comes in with nothing in the Tomatometer and only 43 percent[2] audience approval.
New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther said in a November 14, 1957 review:
“…But, at least, the familiar fictional dilemma is presented crisply and plausibly, and it is worked up to a sweating climax with a fine exercise of suspense. The plane is crippled, in this instance, by both of its pilots being ill from poisoned food and unable to fly the passenger transport, which also has several desperately ill passengers aboard. As a consequence, one of the healthy passengers, a fighter-plane pilot in World War II, is desperately pressed into service by the hostess and a doctor to try to bring the plane in. More than the fact that he has never flown a transport plane in his life confronts this reluctant substitute. He hasn’t even been in a plane for twelve years. Thick fog and icing conditions beset the route. And, mainly, he is choked up with a phobia of flying, brought on by a cruel accident during the war. Unfortunately, the only fellow available to “talk him down”—that is, exchange information with him by radio on how to fly the plane and bring it in—is an airline captain who knows of that accident and, as a consequence, doesn’t have much trust in him.”
So, let’s get going and take a look at this wonderful cast.
Actors – Zero Hour! (1957)
Returning
One of my favorite actors, Dana Andrews, played the broken pilot Lt. Ted Stryker. Andrews was first covered during In Harm’s Way (1965).
The lovely Linda Darnell played Ellen Stryker, the wife of Ted, who is looking for a way out. Darnell was first covered in the Film Noir Fallen Angel (1945).
Sterling Hayden, who is as tough as nails, played Capt. Martin Treleaven, Stryker’s wartime commander. Treleaven hates Stryker and is the only one that can talk him down. Hayden was first covered in the Film Noir Crime of Passion (1957).
Jerry Paris was in the role of friendly guy Tony Decker. Paris was first covered in the great movie, The Caine Mutiny (1954).
Willis Bouchey was the RCAF Doctor. Bouchey was first covered in Western Noir, The Violent Men (1955).
William Conrad was uncredited as the narrator. Conrad was first covered in the Film Noir Cry Danger (1951).
New
Peggy King played Stewardess Janet Turner. King was born in Pennsylvania in 1930. MGM signed King in 1952. She was only in four movies but was a successful singer. The four movies are Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Torch Song (1953), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955), and Zero Hour! (1957).
Elroy ‘Crazylegs’ Hirsch played Capt. Bill Wilson. He got the nickname from his time as a professional football player. He played flanker for the All-America Football Conference Chicago Americans (1946-1948) and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams (1949-1957).
Story – Zero Hour! (1957)
Canadian World War II fighters are shown taking off as the credits roll. The planes are led by Lt. Ted Stryker (Dana Andrews) deep into Germany. The Canadians fight a formation of German fighters. After taking a beating, the remaining Spitfires jump into a cloud bank to escape.
The fog has closed in over the target. Lt. Ted Stryker leads the others on until six of his comrades crashed in the fog.
Lt. Ted Stryker was still healing when the war ended. He is a broken man and has severe PTSD, much like Fred Derry in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). As an RCAF Doctor (Willis Bouchey) tends him. Stryker’s body heals, but his mind does not. The RCAF doctor tells Stryker he has to live up to his mistakes.
In Canada, it is 1956, and the war has been over for eleven years. Stryker is trying to get a job working in jet research. He has a record of not keeping jobs and not taking leadership. Stryker makes a pitch that he can step up and do the job. He says his marriage is hanging in the balance.
Stryker comes home with a bottle and food for a little celebration. He searches his apartment, and his wife Ellen (Linda Darnell) and son Joey (Ray Ferrell) are gone. He finds a note, but the contents are not revealed.
Stryker goes to the airport and sees Ellen boarding the plane. He buys a ticket and gets on just before takeoff. He takes a seat in the back next to Tony Decker (Jerry Paris). Capt. Bill Wilson (Elroy ‘Crazylegs’ Hirsch), the pilot, is a no-nonsense macho flying man. Stryker is beginning to sweat as the plane takes off.
Stryker goes into the bathroom, which amazingly has a window. He looks at the engines and has a flashback to the war. When he comes out, Captain Bill Wilson offered him some Dramamine for air sickness.
Stryker goes to talk to Ellen. Boy, this could be a five-hour fight instead of flight. Ellen is over it. Decker is a comedian and is dating Stewardess Janet Turner (Peggy King). Stryker asks Janet if she can get his son Joey into the cockpit. The pilots are really nice and don’t even ask the boy any questions about male dogs. Janet takes the supper order. Both pilots and Joey choose Halibut. Stryker leaves Joey in the cockpit and goes to talk to his wife.
The captain finds out that cold weather and fog are coming in.
Ellen isn’t buying Stryker’s “one more try” line. She loves him, but she has had it with him being a bum.
Janet catches some older men drinking and talking about the flanker position in football. One orders fish. Janet takes the fish to the pilots.
Stryker visits with his son after Ellen’s rejection. Later Decker entertains Joey with a sock puppet.
The weather continues to get rougher as the first people begin to get sick from the bad Halibut. The co-pilot is showing signs of sickness, and they are five hours away from landing. Janet finds Dr. Baird (Geoffrey Toone) on board. Joey is sick also.
Dr. Baird says to tell the captain that they have to land as soon as possible. He checks Joey and checks on what food the boy has eaten. Dr. Baird tells the captain that the plane must be landed as quickly as possible. The captain informs him that there is nothing but bad weather below, and they can’t get down to any of the airports.
The plane takes a violent dip. The captain and the doctor run in to find the co-pilot passed out. Dr. Baird connects the sickness to the Halibut. The doctor requests all of the emergency and medical equipment be put in place. The captain tells Dr. Baird that he had fish as well.
Janet drafts Decker to act as her nurse. The captain calls in the emergency.
Wait a minute! Dr. Baird gives the captain a morphine shot to hold off the sickness. Sure, but what about the flying?
Dr. Baird gives everyone a briefing on what caused the sickness. They take it pretty well. Stryker says he won’t leave Joey.
The plane starts shaking again, and this time the captain is sick and has put the plane on autopilot.
Dr. Baird delivers the bad news that many people may die if they don’t get to a hospital quickly. Dr. Baird says the “it is not important right now” line, which was used in Airplane! (1980). He then delivers the great line – “I think you ought to know what our chances are. The life of everyone aboard depends on just one thing: finding someone who can not only fly this plane but who didn’t have fish for dinner.”
Janet looks for someone with flying experience, and she finds Stryker. Stryker says there is no way he can land the plane. Dr. Baird says Stryker is the only one that can help. To save his son, Stryker has to try and fly the plane. He looks at the much more complicated controls before getting in the pilot’s seat. Stryker goes over the controls. Stryker is a little freaked out by flying in the fog.
Janet brings up Ellen to help her husband. Dr. Baird says Stryker is the only one who can help. Ellen gets in the co-pilot seat. Stryker gets through to air traffic control and tells them what is going on with the plane and passengers. Stryker asks for someone who can talk him down while he flies.
The Vancouver ATC says they can get Capt. Martin Treleaven (Sterling Hayden), who knows Stryker from the war to talk him down. They think this will be good, but Treleaven hates Stryker. Treleaven is having a jazzy time with his wife when he is called away to work.
Treleaven tries to beg off the job, but the ATC is not having it. Treleaven thinks Stryker will fold up. The ATC reads the riot act to Treleaven, and then Treleaven says he picked the wrong week to stop smoking.
Vancouver takes over control from Calgary. Treleaven wants to build up Stryker. Stryker is not happy to hear Treleaven’s voice. Treleaven exudes confidence to Stryker. Treleaven starts teaching Stryker how to fly the plane. Stryker isn’t doing very well at the controls. Stryker is sweating a bit.
Decker and Janet are trying to keep the panicking passengers relaxed back in the fuselage. Stryker keeps practicing. He almost stalls the plane. Ellen is an excellent co-pilot. Treleaven has Stryker put the flaps and landing gear down to practice landing. Stryker doesn’t want to keep practicing, and he and Treleaven get into it. Stryker has another panic attack and drifts back to the war. During his flashback, he loses control of the airplane and almost hits a mountain.
Dr. Baird finally lets the passengers know what is going on.
Ellen can’t contact Vancouver. Stryker knocked the radio dial during the stall.
The press comes to Vancouver ATC for a story.
After some tense time and heavy smoking, the plane gets back in touch with Vancouver.
After checking on Joey, Ellen comes back in with fatalist expectations for the flight. Vancouver ATC gets Stryker back on course and descending. Stryker is flying on instruments. Vancouver orders all of the emergency vehicles in place.
Ellen goes back to Joey, and Dr. Baird tells her that they are almost out of time. Treleaven wants to speak to Janet. Treleaven gives her the crash-landing procedures. The fog is getting thicker, and Treleaven plans to move to the tower.
Decker helps keep Janet steady, and he gives a proposal.
Treleaven wants Stryker to circle, but Stryker says he is coming in no matter what. Treleaven now stands up a little for Stryker.
In the tower, they all go over the landing procedure for runway number 9. Treleaven starts giving the final instructions. Dr. Baird comes in and says good luck to Stryker and Ellen. Stryker is having a hard time maintaining his altitude. Stryker has another war flashback. Treleaven’s yelling and Ellen’s shaking bring him back. Stryker is now a man in control, and he is coming down. Ellen says she is very proud of Stryker.
Stryker is too low, just like in the war. The emergency crews are on the ground waiting for the plane to land or crash. At last, Stryker can see the field. Treleaven is screaming instructions. Stryker sets the plane down, but he is too fast. Stryker breaks and stops the plane. The landing gear rips off, but the plane grinds to a halt.
Treleaven tells Stryker that he just made the worst landing ever at the airport, but he would like to buy him and drink and shake his hand.
I’ll be back with the conclusions and World-Famous Short Summary following a word from our sponsors.
Summary Zero Hour! (1957)
Airplane! (1980) cast pro-basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as one of the pilots. This casting is a nod to Elroy ‘Crazylegs’ Hirsch being cast as a pilot in today’s film[3].
Dana Andrews would go on to play a commercial pilot role in The Crowded Sky (1960) and private plane pilot in Airport 1975 (1974). In The Crowded Sky (1960), Andrew’s plane was hit by a jet piloted by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. In Airport 1975 (1974), Andrews crashed his twin-engine plane into a jet piloted by Efrem Zimbalist Jr.[4]
This story was originally broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1956 under the name “Flight into Danger.” The man that was cast as Ted Stryker was none other than the greatest engineer of all time, James Doohan, Scotty of “Star Trek” 1966-1969 fame.[5]
World-Famous Short Summary – With Sterling Hayden on the radio, I could land that plane.
Beware the moors.
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051221/
[2] https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zero_hour
[3] https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0386470/bio
[4] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051221/trivia
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Hour!
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