Concorde Airport '79

By Patrick Mondout

With the an all-star cast that included John Davidson, Jimmie J.J. Walker, and Charo, the fourth - and mercifully last of the Airport sequels - was also the worst. Despite Airport '75's best efforts, '79 was also the most unintentionally humorous of the foursome. At least they flew the coolest aircraft ever made. George Kennedy, who was the only actor to appear in all four 'Ports, co-pilots the plane with Alain Delon. Kennedy's character (Joe Patroni) has had an interesting career path. He was a mechanic in the first Airport movie!

As for the plot, Robert Wagner portrays an arms dealer that has been selling them to the Soviets. His reporter-girlfriend has found out and is on board Concorde. So Wagner does what any lovesick hero would do: He has his comrades fire cruise (!) missiles at Concorde. Fortunately, the US Air Force just happens to be patrolling the French Alps and they take out the missile. But, as the Czechs found out in '68, the Soviets don't give up easily. Soon another jet fighter is firing missiles. Kennedy, being the take-charge kind of guy he is, opens up the cockpit window and starts shooting flares. The flares do their job. No, he didn't shoot down any MiG-29s with a flare gun, but the flares confused the heat-seeking missiles long enough for them to make it to Paris.

When they finally land, Wagner tells the love of his life (Susan Blakely) that it's all been a big mistake. Though she is supposedly a great investigative reporter, she believes him anyway and boards Concorde again - this time for Moscow. What awaits those brave souls who make it to the last twenty minutes of this thriller? A cargo-door which has been purposely set to go off (by guess who?) and a crash landing in the Alps!

But then what would an Airport sequel be without a ridiculous plot?

See Also: Airport (1970), Airport '75 (1974), Airport '77, Disaster Movies of the Super70s.

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