Hostage Flight

• Director: Steven Hilliard Stern
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Release Year: 1985
• Country: US
• Run Time: 100 minutes

Plot

Made for television, Hostage Flight fomented a well-publicized controversy when first aired by NBC on November 17, 1985. On a domestic flight headed for Detroit, 65 passengers are held hostage by four international terrorists. The demands of the hijackers are simple: Release their imprisoned leader or the hostages will be executed one by one. Only after innocent blood is shed do the outraged passengers form a united front to rebel against their captors, and, ultimately, to take justice in their own hands. The film's original ending found the passengers, having staged their own "trial" of the hijackers, doling out punishment in a gruesome manner (and a highly unlikely manner, given the limited head-space on a typical jetliner). This denouement proved too horrifying for the NBC executives, who demanded that a modified ending be filmed (though the original climax was shown when the film was released outside the United States). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

Ian Abercrombie - Scotland Yard Supervisor; Michael Alldredge - Bradigan; Frank Annese - Nasrallah; Ina Balin - Rita; Ned Beatty - Art Hofstadter; Kabir Bedi - Khatib Nasif; Barbara Bosson - Roberta Spooner; Rene Enriquez - Hector; Hank Garrett - Hoopman; Jack Gilford - Mr. Singer; Kim Johnston-Ulrich - Jane; John Karlen - DiSalvo; Michael MacRae - Harrison; Frank McRae - Bart Cooper; Garry Miller - First Observer; Morgan Paull - John Roberts; Mitchell Ryan - Captain Malone; John Sanderford - Keating; Dee Wallace - Laura Kenrick; Kristina Wayborn - Ilsa Beck; Michael Cavanaugh - Bill Orfman; Allan Miller - Lawyer; Jonathan Perpich - Writer; William Glover - London Supervisor; Julie Mannix - Julia; Mort Sertner - Indianapolis Supervisor

Credit

Donald L. Harris - Art Director, Steven Hilliard Stern - Director, Ann Mills - Editor, Millie Moore - Editor, Robert Sertner - Executive Producer, Frank Von Zerneck - Executive Producer, Fred Karlin - Composer (Music Score), King Baggot - Cinematographer, James Hay - Producer, Harry J. Essex - Screen Story, Howard Koch - Screen Story, Stephen Zito - Screenwriter, Felix Culver - Screenwriter