Movie Cosmos - Airport | Movie Cosmos

Description:

An airport manager tries to keep his terminals open during a snowstorm, while a suicide bomber plots to blow up a Boeing 707 airliner in flight.

Top Cast >

Burt Lancaster

As Mel Bakersfeld

Dana Wynter

As Cindy Bakersfeld

Dean Martin

As Vernon Demerest

Barbara Hale

As Sarah Demerest

Jean Seberg

As Tanya Livingston

Jacqueline Bisset

As Gwen Meighen

George Kennedy

As Joe Patroni

Jodean Lawrence

As Marie Patroni

Helen Hayes

As Ada Quonsett

John Findlater

As Peter Coakley

Van Heflin

As D. O. Guerrero

Maureen Stapleton

As Inez Guerrero

Barry Nelson

As Anson Harris

Eileen Wesson

As Judy Barton

Robert Patten

As Captain Benson

Paul Picerni

As Dr. Compagno

Ilana Dowding

As Robbie Bakersfeld

Lisa Gerritsen

As Libby Bakersfeld

Clark Howat

As Bert Weatherby

Gary Collins

As Cy Jordan

Lloyd Nolan

As Harry Standish

Jessie Royce Landis

As Harriet DuBarry Mossman

Sandra Gould

As Millie Miles

Janis Hansen

As Katherine Grace

William Boyett

As Jack Ingram

James Nolan

As Steven Lonigan

Peter Turgeon

As Marcus Rathbone

Albert Reed Jr.

As Ned Ordway

Dick Winslow

As Mr. Schultz

Virginia Grey

As Mrs. Schultz

Lou Wagner

As Schuyler Schultz

Whit Bissell

As Mr. Davidson

Ena Hartman

As Ruth

Nancy Ann Nelson

As Bunnie

Mary Jackson

As Felice

Patty Poulsen

As Joan

Malila Saint Duval

As Maria

Sharon Harvey

As Sally

Shelly Novack

As Rollings

Lew Brown

As Reynolds

Larry Gates

As Ackerman

Chuck Daniel

As Parks

Charles Brewer

As Diller

Richard Mathews

As Controller

Cathleen Cordell

As Mrs. Donovan

William H. O'Brien

As Waiter at Men's Club

Leoda Richards

As Woman on Dais

Ray Ballard

As Gilbert Price (uncredited)

Chuck Bowman

As New York Dispatcher (uncredited)

Eve Brent

As Mrs. David Corman (uncredited)

John Dennis

As Cab Driver (uncredited)

John Francis

As Maurice David (uncredited)

Harry Harvey

As Dr. Avery Smith (uncredited)

Gordon Jump

As Man Inspecting Hole in Plane (uncredited)

Eve McVeagh

As Mrs. Henry Bron (uncredited)

Pat Priest

As Mrs. Jerry Copeland (uncredited)

Don Ross

As John (uncredited)

Marion Ross

As Joan Myers (uncredited)

Mark Russell

As Pfc. Bud Miller (uncredited)

Frank J. Scannell

As Ted Fields (uncredited)

Susan Seaforth Hayes

As First Class Flight Attendant (uncredited)

Allison McKay

As Mrs. Irwin Jansen (uncredited)

John Nolan

As Richard Ross (uncredited)

Ron Stokes

As Taxi Driver (uncredited)

Quinn K. Redeker

As John Reindel (uncredited)

Wilma Francis

As Elegant Woman Passenger

Marco López

As Harold Lopez (uncredited)

Dee Carroll

As Florence (uncredited)

Richard Van Vleet

As Passenger in Military Uniform (uncredited)

Top Crew >

George Seaton

Director, Screenplay

Alfred Newman

Original Music Composer

Ernest Laszlo

Director of Photography

Ross Hunter

Producer

Arthur Hailey

Novel

Stuart Gilmore

Editor

Edith Head

Costume Design

Mickey S. Michaels

Set Decoration

E. Preston Ames

Art Direction

Jack D. Moore

Set Decoration

Jacques Mapes

Associate Producer

Alexander Golitzen

Art Direction

Everett Lehman

Gaffer

Nick Cravat

Stunts

Bud Walls

Stunts

Carol Daniels

Stunts

Loyal Griggs

Additional Photography

Don Nagel

Stunts

Joe Gray

Stunts

Donna Garrett

Stunt Double

Dean Smith

Stunts

Bob Yerkes

Stunts

Raymond Gosnell

Unit Production Manager

Betty A. Griffin

Script Supervisor

Arnold Schwarzwald

Music Editor

Larry Germain

Hairstylist

Ronald Pierce

Sound

David H. Moriarty

Sound

Bud Westmore

Makeup Artist

Donald Roberts

Assistant Director

Waldon O. Watson

Sound

Reviews:

Wuchak (7/10)

Quaint, but fairly compelling airport soap opera with a disaster element

During a snowstorm at Lincoln International Airport in Chicago, the manager of the airport (Burt Lancaster) works overtime to clear the main runway of a Boeing 707 that’s stuck in the snow while dealing with his failing marriage. Meanwhile the next flight to Rome piloted by his brother-in-law (Dean Martin) has a suspicious person with an attaché case on board (Van Heflin). George Kennedy plays the head mechanic, Jean Seberg a customer relations agent, Jacqueline Bisset a flight attendant and Helen Hayes a stowaway.

"Airport" (1970) was the movie that kicked-off the disaster craze of the 70s. It’s not great like “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972), but it’s more compelling and less bloated than “The Towering Inferno” (1974). The soap operatic first half paves the way for the disaster-oriented second. It’s intentionally old-fashioned and was a huge hit at the box office. I wasn’t sure about it for the first 20 minutes, but I then found myself involved in the characters and their story, keeping my interest till the end.

After disaster films developed a bad rap years later, Lancaster panned “Airport” as the “worst piece of junk ever made,” which is ironic considering it was his most successful movie at the box office BY FAR.

The film runs 2 hours, 16 minutes, and was shot at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, and Universal Studios, Universal City, California.

GRADE: B

2021-04-09