Airport (1970) - 8/10

I do love a good disaster movie, the question is, is this a good one. It’s the inspiration for the much more successful parody franchise, Airplane! But with three sequels itself, surely Airport is good? It’s not short on stars springing into action as a snowstorm hits said airport. Mel (Burt Lancaster) is in charge, trying to keep things  moving in the blizzard with the help of Joe (George Kennedy), while hothead pilot Vernon (Dean Martin) schmoozes his way through the cabin crew. These are the three big names, but this is a really well rounded story that gives plenty for the supporting cast to get their teeth into. Mel has a lot on his plate. His marriage as stormy as the weather outside, a complicated relationship with his colleague Tanya (Jean Seberg)…and a desperate bomber! (Van Heflin). This is rather well paced though. It knows when to hit the breaks with some light relief, the best coming from dear old Mrs Quonsett (Helen Hayes) a charming old lady with a comic flare for hitching a ride on airplanes for free. In fact there’s lots of lovely little subplots here that really pull you in. We know the disaster element is coming, but Airport is not in a hurry. It’s a large cast of characters and some are more fleshed out than others, but there’s some good meat on the bones here. Enough to really enjoy the slowly building tension. The first half is no slouch, but once onboard the flight headed to Rome, this really takes off. It’s all of its time, there’s that 70s sheen and a liberal use of some chunky split screen, but it’s got real heart and it keeps you on your toes. Honestly, it’s gripping. It’s far from perfect, but as a disaster classic, it’s up there with the best.

8/10