Airport launched the disaster movie craze of the 1970's and spawned 3 sequels. It was also one of the last movies to be produced by the legendary Ross Hunter, whose trademark was larger than life Hollywood glamour at a time when society was rapidly gaining a more casual rock and roll sensibility. This mix of old-fashioned Hollywood sophistication combined with a cynical view of the modern world formed the template for all the big-budget disaster movies that followed. Each of these successive movies featured an impressive cast of famous stars of the past and present.

Adapted from the bestselling novel by Arthur Haley about life at Lincoln International Airport. This Midwestern hub airport managed by Mel Bakersfield (Lancaster) is dealing with their worst snowstorm in years. Things go from bad to worse when a plane gets stuck blocking a vital runway, a little old lady stowaway is discovered (Helen Hayes in her Oscar winning role) and it is learned that a deranged man with a bomb is on board one of the flights. There is also plenty of melodrama thrown in for extra flavor.

Today this movie seems dated and chauvinistic. Especially the relationship between married pilot Dean Martin and stewardess Jacqueline Bisset, but it is an accurate rendering of the times. George Kennedy adds to the machismo and he has the distinction of being the only person to appear in all 4 Airport movies.

Helen Hayes steals every scene she is in and provides most of the comic relief. Maureen Stapleton, on the other hand, is the emotional core of the story and she has the most dramatic scene in the movie when she rushes through the airport apologizing agonizingly to the surviving passengers for what her husband did.

It's a tad long and a bit slow but all in all the original Airport remains a pretty decent movie.

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