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The Flight of the Phoenix

  • 19651965
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 22m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
20K
YOUR RATING
The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
After a plane crash in the Sahara, one of the survivors says he's an airplane designer and they can make a flyable plane from the wreckage.
Play trailer3:08
1 Video
99 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
After an oil company plane crashes in the Sahara, the survivors are buoyed with hope by one of the passengers, an airplane designer who plans for them to build a flyable plane from the wreck... Read allAfter an oil company plane crashes in the Sahara, the survivors are buoyed with hope by one of the passengers, an airplane designer who plans for them to build a flyable plane from the wreckage.After an oil company plane crashes in the Sahara, the survivors are buoyed with hope by one of the passengers, an airplane designer who plans for them to build a flyable plane from the wreckage.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
20K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Robert Aldrich
  • Writers
    • Lukas Heller(screenplay)
    • Trevor Dudley Smith(novel)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Richard Attenborough
    • Peter Finch
Top credits
  • Director
    • Robert Aldrich
  • Writers
    • Lukas Heller(screenplay)
    • Trevor Dudley Smith(novel)
  • Stars
    • James Stewart
    • Richard Attenborough
    • Peter Finch
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 135User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 3:08
    Official Trailer

    Photos99

    James Stewart in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    Richard Attenborough in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, and Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    James Stewart, Ian Bannen, George Kennedy, Dan Duryea, and Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    James Stewart in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    Richard Attenborough and Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    James Stewart, Ernest Borgnine, and Peter Finch in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)
    Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, George Kennedy, Dan Duryea, Peter Finch, Ronald Fraser, and Hardy Krüger in The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Frank Towns
    Richard Attenborough
    Richard Attenborough
    • Lew Moran
    Peter Finch
    Peter Finch
    • Captain Harris
    Hardy Krüger
    Hardy Krüger
    • Heinrich Dorfmann
    • (as Hardy Kruger)
    Ernest Borgnine
    Ernest Borgnine
    • Trucker Cobb
    Ian Bannen
    Ian Bannen
    • Crow
    Ronald Fraser
    Ronald Fraser
    • Sergeant Watson
    Christian Marquand
    Christian Marquand
    • Dr. Renaud
    Dan Duryea
    Dan Duryea
    • Standish
    George Kennedy
    George Kennedy
    • Bellamy
    Gabriele Tinti
    Gabriele Tinti
    • Gabriele
    Alex Montoya
    • Carlos
    Peter Bravos
    • Tasso
    William Aldrich
    • Bill
    Barrie Chase
    Barrie Chase
    • Farida
    Stanley Ralph Ross
    Stanley Ralph Ross
    • Arab Singer
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Robert Aldrich
    • Writers
      • Lukas Heller(screenplay)
      • Trevor Dudley Smith(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Phoenix's take-off was considered too dangerous to stage at the sandy filming location (its actual take-off was from a smoothed, compacted-earth runway), so legendary stunt pilot Paul Mantz was asked to do a "touch-and-go" landing in which he came in low, skimmed his landing gear along the ground, then throttled up to gain altitude, merely simulating a take-off. On the second take, as the landing gear made contact with the ground, the plane's aft boom fractured, causing the aircraft to nose into the ground and cartwheel, killing Mantz. As the second take had merely been a "protection shot," with the necessary footage captured during the first attempt, a vintage North American O-47A observation plane from an air museum was substituted for the remaining necessary close-ups.
    • Goofs
      Capt. Towns shoots the lame camel, but doesn't think to use the dead animal for food.
    • Quotes

      Heinrich Dorfmann: Mr. Towns, you behave as if stupidity were a virtue. Why is that?

    • Crazy credits
      Closing credits epilogue: IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED...

      THAT PAUL MANTZ, A FINE MAN AND A BRILLIANT FLYER GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE MAKING OF THIS FILM...
    • Connections
      Featured in Film Preview: Episode #1.4 (1966)
    • Soundtracks
      The Phoenix Love Theme
      Senza Fine"

      Sung by Connie Francis

      Music & Italian Lyrics by Gino Paoli

      English Lyrics by Alec Wilder

    User reviews135

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Absorbing character piece that's acted accordingly.
    A transport aeroplane carrying an assortment of men crash lands in the Sahara desert, these men must group together in spite of their varying indifference's and build another plane out of the wreckage.

    It perhaps, on the surface, doesn't sound much does it? We as viewers are asked to spend over two hours watching these men interact with each other with differing results. The location stays the same, it is just sand, sun, and men awaiting death. Yet the film is one of the best exponents of the character piece because the characters each have their own personal hang ups. Be it carrying scars from the war, or a class difference of upbringing, or that demon addiction to alcohol, these men have to overcome themselves before they can overcome the biggest hurdle in front of them.

    Boasting what reads as a who's who of great character actors, The Flight Of The Phoenix becomes a riveting watch because we feel the stifled nature of their plight, because we are blessed to have these wonderful actors fully realising the great writing from Lukas Heller. It is absorbing, it is very sharp, and fittingly we get a twist that makes the ending even more rewarding.

    Highly Recommended. 8/10
    helpful•12
    3
    • hitchcockthelegend
    • May 3, 2008

    FAQ1

    • How was the story inspired?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 15, 1965 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • Arabic
    • Also known as
      • Zarobljeni u pustinji
    • Filming locations
      • Yuma, Arizona, USA
    • Production company
      • The Associates & Aldrich Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,355,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 22 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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