Airplane!
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Overview
Drowning his sorrows after that botched mission during WWII, the traumatised former fighter pilot with a fear of flying, Ted Striker, still hasn't got over his old flame and flight attendant, Elaine Dickinson. Determined to win her back, Ted boards a domestic flight from Los Angeles to Chicago, only to come face-to-face with a severe case of in-fli...
Director / Creator
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writers
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Top Cast
About Airplane! (1980)
Filmoverview · cast · reception · where to watch
Overview
Airplane! (1980) is a Comedy film from United States. the film was directed by Jim Abrahams and David Zucker. It runs 1 hour and 28 minutes and was produced primarily in English.
What it's about
Drowning his sorrows after that botched mission during WWII, the traumatised former fighter pilot with a fear of flying, Ted Striker, still hasn't got over his old flame and flight attendant, Elaine Dickinson. Determined to win her back, Ted boards a domestic flight from Los Angeles to Chicago, only to come face-to-face with a severe case of in-flight food poisoning that is threatening everyone's lives. Now, with most of the passengers and the entire cockpit crew down with the food-borne illness, Striker has no other choice but to confront his inner demons and take over the control of the ungovernable aircraft with the help of a gruff air-traffic controller and his former commander. Can Ted land the plane and save them all?
Cast and crew
The film stars Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, and Leslie Nielsen in supporting roles. Co-directing duties were shared by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, a collaboration that shapes the film's overall tone and visual style.
Critical reception
On IMDb, Airplane! holds a rating of 7.7/10 based on 284,843 user votes. Rotten Tomatoes lists a critical score of 97%. Metacritic aggregates a score of 78/100 from professional reviewers. Notable recognition: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award3 wins & 7 nominations total. These numbers place Airplane! within the broader landscape of Comedy cinema from 1980, giving viewers a benchmark before deciding to watch.
Where to watch
Airplane! is currently available to stream with a subscription on Amazon. Free, ad-supported viewing options are available on Mercado Play. Streaming rights move between platforms regularly, so the providers shown above reflect current availability based on the most recent data we have on file.
Why Airplane! is worth knowing
If you enjoy Comedy films, Airplane! offers a representative example of the genre's conventions and storytelling style. As a 1980 release, it sits within a specific moment in film history, making it a useful reference point for understanding how comedy evolved during that period. Performances from Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty are central to the work, and tracking their broader filmographies can lead to other titles you may want to add to your watchlist. Use VidScio to identify scenes, find related movies, and keep Airplane! on your watchlist for later.
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