A Masterpiece!

A different way of telling a story

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

OK, I didn't get to watch this movie until after I'd already seen 'Airplane!' and that means that the whole way through the film, I kept hearing Robert Hays' Stryker in my head. Some of the lines are lifted word-for-word. Once you manage to get over that, this is an entertaining movie. An average rating of 6.6 (at the time of writing this review) is a tad harsh, IMO. Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell both turn in solid performances in the cockpit as the mid-air disaster unfolds. Sterling Hayden, the guy who has to talk Stryker down through the landing procedure, also does a good job, but I just can't help seeing and hearing Lloyd Bridges the whole way through.It's a shame that 'Airplane!' has become such an iconic movie because anybody who watches 'Zero Hour' now will end up laughing because they've seen 'Airplane!'. In it's day, this was regarded as a tense, gripping movie. I think it's an all-round good movie, so just try to see it in it's own context and you'll enjoy it.

This plot of passengers getting food poisoning was first filmed as Flight into Danger (1956). Next came Zero Hour (1957)which stared Dana Andrews. In 1971 Terror in the Skies came along with Lief Ericson.And finally in 1980 the wacky, wonderful, Airplane blessed us all with it's release. A lot of movie buffs claim Airplane was based on Flight into Danger, or Terror in the Skies. But according to IMDb it was Zero Hour as explained in this IMDb Quote: "The makers of Airplane! (1980) bought the rights to Zero Hour! (1957) to remake it. Much of the movie Airplane! (1980) is similar to Zero Hour! (1957) including using the same dialog."

Yes, Virginia, ''Zero Hour'' was the film lampooned (or is that ''harpooned')' by ''Airplane'' (1980). Scripted by Arthur Haley-who would go on to invigorate the Airplane Disaster franchise with his best selling novel ''Airport'' which, in turn became a blockbuster film, It was first seen as a television drama. This low-budget big screen remake came along shortly after. It stars Dana (''The Best Years Of Our Lives'') Andrews as one-time Military Pilot Ted Stryker, Linda (''Forever Amber'') Darnell as his wife Ellen, and Sterling (''Johnny Guitar'') Hayden. Stryker, who made a boo-boo during the war, which cost several of his fellow soldiers their lives, is still traumatized by the experience, and his marriage is breaking up as a result. When his wife finally takes their son and leaves him, Andrews gallops to the airport just in time to hop on the same plane, and, off they go. Shortly after dinner, those passengers who chose the fish over the lamb chops get violently ill. Since the Captain (Football Great Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch) is one of those immobilized by the Blue Plate Special, it falls to Andrews, the only Pilot handy, to fly the plane. Naturally reluctant, it takes Captain Treleavin (Hayden) who is very aware of Andrew's past to talk him into the Pilot's seat. And, there he sits, with wife Darnell (wo)manning the controls at his side. Though she is distracted by her son's illness-(yes, he chose the fish,) she does what she can. Even without the ''Airplane'' connection, there is plenty of fun to be had watching the actors try to get through this. Sadly, Andrews and Darnell, who were seen to much greater advantage in ''Fallen Angel'' twelve years earlier, were both heavy drinkers by this time, and it showed. The once-gorgeous Darnell now plump and blowzy looking and Andrews, dissipated and lined, have no chemistry together here, though his usual ramrod-straight playing is, at least appropriate. Hayden, as stiff as Jack Webb in ''Dragnet'', barks his lines like a drill sergeant-which is not necessarily a bad thing. Then, there's Jerry Paris (The Dick Van Dyke Show'') who hams it up as the boyfriend of Marriage-Minded Stewardess Peggy King. Darnell, though, has the film's best line-''Ted, what are you doing? YOU can't fly this plane!''. Although there are some familiar faces among the puking passengers, they are given short shrift,As for the Doctor (Geoffrey Toone) his idea of seatside manner is to lie to the patients. Still, despite the silliness, the film moves along fairly quickly, before it reaches a ridiculous conclusion. Poor Dana would end up in two more Airplane Disaster flicks (''The Crowded Sky'' and ''Airport 1975'')before he was through.And director Hall Bartlett would tackle more Classics like ''The Caretakers'' and ''Jonathan Livingston Seagull''.After it's unspectacular debut, ''Zero Hour'' was quickly forgotten, and would likely have remained so, if not for ''Airplane''. For some viewers (like me) there is a lot to enjoy, though by the climax, others may be wishing that everyone on board had eaten the fish. Still, before ''Airplane'' burst onto the scene, this was remade yet again for television, titled ''Terror In The Sky''. The DVD release of ''Zero Hour'' issued by Warner Brothers as part of their ''Cult Camp Classics'' series, is a spotless anamorphic transfer which includes the original trailer. It has recently gone out of print, so, those who want it in their collection had better grab it now, before the price balloons on EBAY.

All I can say is, if you saw the comedy hit "Airplane," don't miss "Zero Hour!" on which much of "Airplane" was taken. Of course, this film was intended to be a drama. Thanks to "Airplane," it's almost as much of a comedy as its successor.I doubt "Zero Hour" was a major Hollywood release - it's an independent production in black and white, and by 1957, Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell were no longer the stars they once had been at Twentieth Century Fox. Both suffered from severe alcoholism, and Darnell additionally committed the mortal sin in Hollywood in those days of turning 30. The two play husband and wife, and you know the story - meat or fish? And don't say fish.I tried to decide if I would have liked this film on its own merits. I decided that it is over the top with some bad dialogue. The ending is suspenseful. The actors do what they can with some hokey moments.Surely, the writers could have come up with a better script. And don't call me Shirley.