Streaming Gems: Airplane! (1980) - Opinion
Photo from IMDb
From Shane Conto
In a world so crazy, what do we need most? A big, seam-splitting laugh. There are so many films out there that can give you that hearty belly laugh that just overcomes you and makes things just a little bit better. But there are few films that are so expertly crafted that they are nearly hilarious every single frame of their runtime. There are rare films that every time you watch it again, there are whole jokes or gags that are discovered that deliver even more. That film that can do that obviously needs to be expertly crafted and clever…and can be downright dumb in every moment. That film? Airplane!
How does one create a film so funny? First, you have to have the right team to put it together. At this point, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker have become legendary for some of the comedic work they have done. We are not talking about the likes of An American Carol or the fiftieth Scary Movie…but we are talking about those prime 80s Abrahams/Zucker productions that made everyone laugh who went to see them. This creative team took the basic framework of another film, Zero Hour, and turned a serious plane film into a farce for the ages. This trio was able to find a horrific situation like a pilotless plane and turned it into an absurd fever dream of hilarity.
Why is Airplane! a comedy so worth checking out? This film is endlessly quotable from start to finish. Whether it is the couple arguing over an abortion on the announcer system in the airport to start the film or any line uttered by the expertly dry (and surely serious) Leslie Nielsen. There are so many lines that have become a fixture of pop culture including the one I referenced in the sentence before. You cannot even wish someone luck without potentially coming off as facetious because Nielsen’s delivery is that memorable (and just remember…we are all counting on you). You even have the manic madness of Stephen Stucker who comes flying in with the more random high energy line deliveries in comedy.
But the film is more than just quotable, right? There are so many great gags that make this film iconic. The blow-up auto-pilot named Otto (because of course) who certainly gets blown up (if you know what I mean). Otto can apparently take off a plane that previously powerslides into the airport. You have the fact that Kareem Abdul Jabbar is playing “Roger”...until a small child talks smack on his skills to reveal it is actually Jabbar playing Jabbar. There is of course the running gag of all the crazy drugs that Lloyd Bridges regrets giving up in such a stressful situation. Even the master of Unsolved Mysteries Robert Stack rolls up to the airport and beats up every religious person (amongst others) who crosses his path. Do you get the sense that this film is wild yet?
This cannot possibly just be a string of jokes, right? Well…it almost is but there is an actual story thrown in there too. Robert Hays is a former war pilot trying to save his marriage with Julie Hagerty’s flight attendant but hoping on her flight. When the lives of passengers are put at risk due to an unfortunate fish situation, he must overcome his war trauma and fly them home to safety. There is honestly an inspiring little story here amongst the wide aspects of this comedy. Even when the film is being a bit more serious (which the film is serious…but don’t call it Shirley), they find room for some dark comedy. The sort of dark comedy like people killing themselves to avoid hearing Hays misfortunes. Yeah…this film goes there AND to other dark subjects to joke about as well.
Why should you take your 88 minutes and turn on this classic comedy? Sure it is dumb (it is SO dumb) but it is somehow equally clever in its writing and structure. The cast is a legendary ensemble of straight shooters, looney performers, and serious actors who can keep a straight face against the adversity of hilarity. This is a wild ride on a plane and it is worth the price of the ticket (I wonder how much a plane ticket was in 1980?).
You can find Airplane! (1980) streaming on Parmount+.
