Zero Hour! (1957)

45% of users liked it
(315 ratings)

This suspenseful air-borne adventure can rightfully lay claim to being the Mother of All subsequent in-flight disaster films of the '70s. The trouble begins when the pilot and crew of a Canadian passenger plane suddenly find themselves doubled over from accidental ptomaine poisoning and unable to… More This suspenseful air-borne adventure can rightfully lay claim to being the Mother of All subsequent in-flight disaster films of the '70s. The trouble begins when the pilot and crew of a Canadian passenger plane suddenly find themselves doubled over from accidental ptomaine poisoning and unable to continue flying the plane. The only other person on board who can save the terrified crew is a former WW II flying ace who is petrified of flying again. Fortunately, a courageous steel-nerved ground controller is there to offer full-radio support. Later the film became the basis of a TV movie Terror in the Sky and the hilarious parody Airplane (1980). Arthur Hailey, who wrote the teleplay on which this was based, went on to write the novel and the screenplay for 1970's Airport. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Hall Bartlett
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Nov 13, 1957 Wide
On DVD: Jun 26, 2007

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
I give it props for being one of the first of the disaster airplane films.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Spoof classicity aside, the film is actually well-paced, fun to watch, and genuinely tense at times. It's a hit!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Michael G

A non-comedic version of and basis for Airplane! If you've seen Airplane! you'll laugh, but at the same time it's so campy you just may laugh anyway. Especially when Sterling Hayden says "looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking."
ken j

One of the first so called disaster movies centers around a plane full of passengers sick from food poisoning and a old army pilot named Ted Striker who is asked to bring it down safely but theres just a few problems bad weather and Ted has flashbacks from the war. if anyone has heard… More
One of the first so called disaster movies centers around a plane full of passengers sick from food poisoning and a old army pilot named Ted Striker who is asked to bring it down safely but theres just a few problems bad weather and Ted has flashbacks from the war. if anyone has heard this plot before its cause this is the orignal movie that *Airplane* spoofed a bunch of years later except this isnt played for laughs not a great movie but not horrible either pretty decent amount of suspense yet overdramatic like most 50's movies.

Cast

            Dana Andrews as Ted Stryker

            Linda Darnell as Ellen Stryker

            Sterling Hayden as Treleaven

            Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch as Capt. Wilson

            Geoffrey Toone as Dr. Baird

            Jerry Paris as Tony Decker

            Peggy King as Stewardess

            Charles Quinlivan as Burdick

            Carole Eden as Mrs. Wilson

            Steve London as Copilot Stewart

            Willis B. Bouchey as RCAF Doctor

            Woodrow Chambliss
            
            Maxine Cooper
            
            Noel Drayton
            
            Raymond Farrell as Joey Strvcker

            Roy Gordon
            
            Arthur Hanson
            
            Mary Newton
            
            Willard Sage
            
            Bob Stevenson
            
            Hope Summers
            
            Jon Mikl Thor
            
            Russell Thorson as Flight Dispatcher

            David Thursby as Whitmond

            Will J. White
            
            John Ashley as TV Singer

            Mark Richard Keith as Station Manager

            Fintan Meyler
            
            Patricia Tiernan
            
See full cast