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Trouble in the Sky

Original title: Cone of Silence
  • 1960
  • Approved
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
364
YOUR RATING
Trouble in the Sky (1960)
DramaThriller

In Britain, at the dawn of jet-powered commercial aviation, an aircraft manufacturer tries to shift the blame from mechanical failure to pilot error when its newest jet airliner has a series... Read allIn Britain, at the dawn of jet-powered commercial aviation, an aircraft manufacturer tries to shift the blame from mechanical failure to pilot error when its newest jet airliner has a series of accidents.In Britain, at the dawn of jet-powered commercial aviation, an aircraft manufacturer tries to shift the blame from mechanical failure to pilot error when its newest jet airliner has a series of accidents.

  • Director
    • Charles Frend
  • Writers
    • Robert Westerby
    • Jeffrey Dell
    • David Beaty
  • Stars
    • Michael Craig
    • Peter Cushing
    • Bernard Lee
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    364
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Charles Frend
    • Writers
      • Robert Westerby
      • Jeffrey Dell
      • David Beaty
    • Stars
      • Michael Craig
      • Peter Cushing
      • Bernard Lee
    • 15User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

    Peter Cushing and Michael Craig in Trouble in the Sky (1960)
    Peter Cushing and Delphi Lawrence in Trouble in the Sky (1960)
    Trouble in the Sky (1960)
    Trouble in the Sky (1960)
    Trouble in the Sky (1960)
    Trouble in the Sky (1960)

    Top cast

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    Michael Craig
    Michael Craig
    • Capt. Dallas
    Peter Cushing
    Peter Cushing
    • Capt. Judd
    Bernard Lee
    Bernard Lee
    • Capt. Gort
    Elizabeth Seal
    Elizabeth Seal
    • Charlotte Gort
    George Sanders
    George Sanders
    • Sir Arnold Hobbes
    André Morell
    André Morell
    • Capt. Manningham
    • (as Andre Morell)
    Gordon Jackson
    Gordon Jackson
    • Capt. Bateson
    Charles 'Bud' Tingwell
    Charles 'Bud' Tingwell
    • Capt. Braddock
    • (as Charles Tingwell)
    Noel Willman
    Noel Willman
    • Nigel Pickering
    Delphi Lawrence
    Delphi Lawrence
    • Joyce Mitchell
    Marne Maitland
    Marne Maitland
    • Mr. Robinson
    William Abney
    • First Officer
    Jack Hedley
    Jack Hedley
    • First Officer
    Simon Lack
    Simon Lack
    • Navigator
    Hedger Wallace
    • Navigator
    Charles Mylne
    • Steward
    Howard Pays
    • Steward
    Ballard Berkeley
    Ballard Berkeley
    • Commissioner
    • Director
      • Charles Frend
    • Writers
      • Robert Westerby
      • Jeffrey Dell
      • David Beaty
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The aircraft featured in the film is an Avro Ashton 3. It was built as a research aircraft and at the time of filming was being employed by Bristol Siddeley Engines (now Rolls Royce) in engine testing.

    User reviews15

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    The human factor.
    As a former BOAC pilot David Beaty certainly knew his stuff and must surely have been pleased with this adaptation of his novel.

    Has the crash of a jetliner flown by Captain Gort in which a co-pilot is killed been caused by a design fault or pilot error? That is the question. Although the captain is hung out to dry by a clever lawyer representing the airline at the tribunal of investigation he is still allowed to fly. As the film progresses it becomes clear that the aircraft designer has not been entirely forthcoming......

    Charles Frend is a capable, workmanlike director and has done a good job here with a limited budget and some excellent actors. This was made at a time when there was a wealth of first class English actors upon which to draw. Peter Cushing and Andre Morell were no strangers to each other and had recently played Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I consider Morell to be a superlative Watson and arguably the best Quatermass. Here Cushing has the showiest part and exhibits his customary style. This film can only work of course if the character of Captain Gort is sympathetic and here the casting of Bernard Lee is inspired. He achieves so much by doing so little. George Sanders is as always immaculate and although he only has two scenes as the lawyer Sir Arnold, undoubtedly pocketed the biggest salary.

    It comes as no surprise that the airborne scenes are the most effective and that in which Lee and his crew hit a freak hailstorm is especially gripping.

    The culpability of a pilot for an airline disaster was to be depicted in Ralph Nelson's excellent 'Fate is the Hunter' of 1964. Whilst Frend's film has neither the production values nor the starry cast of the later film, it still manages in its own quiet way to pack quite a punch.
    helpful•3
    1
    • brogmiller
    • Feb 1, 2021

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 22, 1960 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zone des Schweigens
    • Filming locations
      • Shepperton Studios, Studios Road, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK(studio: made at Shepperton Studios Middlesex, England.)
    • Production company
      • Aubrey Baring Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White

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