# Airport '77 (1977)

### reviewed by
David Nusair

    Airport '77 (Reviewed on Feb. 14/99)

Starring Jack Lemmon, Jimmy Stewart, Lee Grant

"Airport '77", an entertaining disaster film, can easily be broken down into three seperate sections. First, we meet all the passengers on the doomed flight. This takes about 45 minutes. Secondly, we see the evil hijackers attempt to take over the ship and eventually fail. This also takes about 45 minutes. Finally, the last half hour is devoted to the rescue effort of the Coast Guard following the ship's crash into the ocean.

Despite the predictable nature of the screenplay, "Airport '77" is enjoyable enough, in a leave-your-brain-at-the-door type of way. Jack Lemmon stars as the earnest and dedicated captain who's determined to save his ship and passengers. Jimmy Stewart plays a rich business man who's daughter and grand-daughter are on the flight. He doesn't do much except look really, really worried. And of course, this being an "Airport" movie, there are many stars on the flight. Some will live, others will die. George Kennedy inexplicably shows up halfway through and starts ordering people around. I suppose he's here because he was in the previous "Airport" films.

There's nothing terribly original about "Airport '77". Everyone's just going through the motions, including the always-great Jack Lemmon. This is a story that's been done many, many times before and one can sense that the only reason a movie like this was even made was to assemble all these aging stars that would otherwise be out-of-work. If making movies like this is what it takes to see actors like Olivia de Havilland and Joseph Cotton working again, than so be it.

Besides, the movie itself isn't all *that* bad, once you get past the utter predictability of it. For a film made in 1977, the special effects aren't too shabby (of course, they're nothing compared to "Star Wars", also released in'77), and there are moments of genuine excitment.

"Airport '77" isn't exactly ground-breaking entertainment, but it is worth watching just for a chance to see a lot of legendary actors working in the same movie.

    **1/2 out of ****

    --
    David Nusair                                         http://www.reelfilm.com"I like your nurses uniform, guy." |
    "These are O.R. scrubs."           |          THIS SPACE FOR RENT
    "Oh, are they?"                    |
    --Rushmore--                       |

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