Les prisonniers du ciel

Pretty nice movie, interesting for the plot and effects of the time. (And the appearance of a prop airliner, this movie coming right at the transition from the age of propeller planes into the jet age.) People have commented on connections between this movie and "Airport 1975" in that Dana Andrews and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. appear in both, with their roles reversed in each. (Andrews is the pilot of the airliner in this one, Zimbalist is the airline pilot in "Airport 1975.") There is another similarity between the movies, as well, which I won't spoil.

I was sort of surprised to see that this one isn't out on DVD. So many movies are coming out in that format, and there have to be people who would want to own this one. When I was a kid (1980s, maybe the late 1970s) this was on the local TV stations as an afternoon movie several times. So there are plenty of people besides those who caught the original release who might want to own this one.

Also there is something that interests the modern airline passenger in all these airline movies from 20+ years ago.... those larger seats, how polite people were on a plane, and how people used to actually dress up to fly. Ah, as Ray Walston said in "Damn Yankees," those were the good old days!

And it isn't until all the necessary back stories are told that we get to the crux of the matter--the fact that an airliner and a two-man jet plane are on a collision course. DANA ANDREWS is the tense pilot at the controls of the airliner and EFREM ZIMBALIST, JR. is in the small plane with TROY DONAHUE.

Unfortunately, none of the back stories are really interesting enough to invoke anything more than moderate interest, but at least we get to see ANNE FRANCIS as an attractive stewardess saddled with some bad dialogue and a lifeless romance with JOHN KERR.

The story only gets into high gear late in the proceedings and by that time you'll notice that the storytelling technique is the same one used to even lesser advantage in THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY.

Summing up: Nothing special but worth a look as an example of what eventually led to all those Airport movies of the '70s.

Trivia note: A diner scene with Troy Donahue and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. has the juke box playing "The Theme from A Summer Place," Donahue's hit film from the year before.

It has been a long time since I saw this movie but it is pretty good. I keep wondering why it and other airplane disaster movies have not been released on DVD. Another one I have looked for is Fate is the Hunter. Maybe it is because of 9/11. The airplanes are obsolete compared to the kind we fly in today but they are still good movies. The original airplane disaster movie (not just my opinion) is The High and the Mighty from 1954 I believe. Maybe it has been released due to the star being John Wayne. Talk about obsolete planes and the passengers in Hawaii having to go thru customs as Hawaii was not yet a state. It is still a great movie with a lot of suspense. The Crowded Sky is the same type of movie and should be released on DVD. What can I say, I like this type of movie.

Drama , emotion and tension in a hazardous voyage on a trans-airline flight . Disaster and nail-biting movie about a Navy jet and a commercial airliner heading for a mid air catastrophe , as passengers fasten your belts to a strong disaster . As a navy jet (piloted by Efrem Zimbalist Jr , Troy Donahue) with a defective radio system and a passenger plane (piloted by Dana Andrews , John Kerr) get in danger of collision. As crew , passengers (Keenan Wynn , Jean Willes , Joe Mantell , Patsy Kelly..) , flight attendant (Anne Francis) gripping their seats for the bumpy ride ahead . During the initial scenes , characters are shown describing some life scenes prior to boarding the airplane . And in flashbacks we learn about the personal problems of the pilots and most of the crew. From the suspense packed best seller and the great international tradition of ¨The High and the Mighty¨. The most fascinating people the gods of chance ever swept up into high adventure!

The picture contains drama , suspense , moderate tension and is quite entertaining although with some flaws and gaps .This is a predecessor in the "Airport" series that achieved splendor in the 70s and 80s . It's exciting and entertaining but heavily paced , full clichés and stereotypes with passable acting by all star cast , including a great deal of unexpected zooms . Based on the novel by Hank Searls and screenplay by Charles Schnee , it blasts to the screen with every kind of love , thrills , and intrigue . Plastic acting and stock characters detailing a hectic flight . The film is dealing with a tumultuous flight and the relationship among passengers . All clichéd and stock roles with regurgitation of all usual stereotypical situations from disaster films . This thrilling tale may remind some spectators ¨The High and the Mighty¨ written by Ernest Kann , directed by William A Wellman with John Wayne , to which , especially with its star-studded casting and plot , it bears a more than coincidental resemblance . It matches the notorious talents of prestigious actors , some of then old TV favourite as Efrem Zimbalist Jr. of 77 Sunset Strip against those of the more screen-seasoned as Dana Andrews , John Kerr , Rhonda Fleming . And a long support cast , such as : Keenan Wynn , Troy Donahue , Jean Willes , Troy Donahue , Joe Mantell , Patsy Kelly, Paul Genge , Donald May , Louis Quinn , among others

It contains a colourful cinematography in Technicolor , CinemaScope by Harry Stradling Sr . Emotive as well as atmospheric musical score by Leonard Rosenman . This old-fashioned motion picture was professionally directed by Joseph Pevney . The craftsman Pevney shot all kinds of genres as Comedy , Film Noir , Mystery , Drama , such as : ¨Who is the black Dahilia ?¨, ¨The strange door¨, ¨Man of a thousand faces¨, ¨Mysterious Island of beautiful women¨, ¨Cash McCall¨, ¨Tammy and the bachelor¨, ¨Istanbul¨, ¨Because of you¨ , and especially Wartime movies : ¨Torpedo run¨, ¨Away all boats¨ , and Westerns as ¨Night of Grizzly . At the end of his long career he made a lot of episodes of famous TV series , such as : High Chaparral , Rockford cases , Marcus Welby , Petrocellli , The Fugitive , Alfred Hitchcock presents , Executive suite , Mission imposible , Monster family , The loner , Star Trek , Virginian , Sam Cade , Bonanza . Rating : 5.5/10

A commercial DC-6 with 62 passengers, flying too high due to the inexplicable actions of arrogant pilot Dana Andrews, is soon in the pathway of a two-pilot Navy jet that has lost all radio communications. The wooden performances and variable special effects of "The Crowded Sky" simply add to its kitsch factor; some audiences can't help laughing at it, but nevertheless enjoying themselves at the same time. The pilots and nearly all the passengers have a great deal on their minds, and the running theme of the close-up followed by the ominous voice-over followed by the flashback lapses into amusing self-parody. Handsome Warner Bros. production, with tidy airplane interiors and all the men wearing skinny black ties, provides instant nostalgia, while the overripe dialogue is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. **1/2 from ****