The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writer (WGA):

Norman Morrill (written by)

Release Date:

2 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

This made-for-television film documents the takeover of the TWA airliner in flight from Athens to Rome in 1985...

Plot Keywords:

Airplane Hijack | Terrorism | Airplane | Based On True Story | Number In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Lindsay Wagner	...	Uli Derickson
Eli Danker	...	Castro
Sandy McPeak	...	Captain Testrake
Ray Wise	...	Phil Maresca
Leslie Easterbrook	...	Audrey
Laurie Walters	...	Jane
Joseph Nasser	...	Saiid
Barry Jenner	...	Ben Zimmerman
Valorie Armstrong	...	Woman in red coat
Jim McMullan	...	Russell
Steven Eckholdt	...	Robert Stethem
Philip Levien	...	Weisman
Lynn Tufeld	...	Mrs. Weisman
Edwin Gerard	...	Dr. Panos
Bridget Hoffman	...	Mrs. Panos

Also Known As:

The Flight
The Taking of Flight 847

Runtime:

100 min | UK:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:15

Company:

Columbia Pictures Television

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Uli reads the seat allocation of the pregnant woman and her husband they are in 'B' and 'C' seats, the next scene Uli is settling them into the 'D' and 'E' seats (other side of the aisle) - an earlier reference to the 'A' seat being on 'their right' supports this.

Quotes:

[after shooting Robert Stethem and throwing his body on the tarmac]
Castro: Now they will listen.

Excellent & topical story on terrorism

I remember the real events of this true story back in 1985, one of the earliest terrorist assaults on Americans & our allies on an airplane hijacked by Hezbollah operatives. Eli Danker makes a magnificent villain, an Arab living in Germany who is fluent in the language, opposite the dependable Lindsay Wagner as purser--and bonafide heroine--Uli Derickson, a wife & mother who showed remarkable grace under pressure. The story is edge-of-your-seat with a tough script and good support from a B-grade cast, including Sandy McPeak as Captain Testrake, Steven Eckholdt as the doomed sailor Robert Stethem, and Garrett & Gilfillan as a young mother and an older widow respectively. Danker's Castro is a madman capable of kindness to a pregnant woman then horrible brutality to young Stethem, a Navy welder whose geography coincides with Danker's personal tragedy and ultimate reason for his actions. He and Wagner deserved awards for their performances.