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The Pilot

  • 1980
  • PG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
284
YOUR RATING
The Pilot (1980)
ActionDrama

Mike Hagan is a pilot in passenger service and candidate for the honor "Best Pilot of the Year". Nobody knows that he's got private sorrows - he's an alcoholic. A stewardess notices his regu... Read allMike Hagan is a pilot in passenger service and candidate for the honor "Best Pilot of the Year". Nobody knows that he's got private sorrows - he's an alcoholic. A stewardess notices his regular visits of the toilet and reports it.Mike Hagan is a pilot in passenger service and candidate for the honor "Best Pilot of the Year". Nobody knows that he's got private sorrows - he's an alcoholic. A stewardess notices his regular visits of the toilet and reports it.

  • Director
    • Cliff Robertson
  • Writer
    • Robert P. Davis
  • Stars
    • Cliff Robertson
    • Diane Baker
    • Frank Converse
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    284
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Cliff Robertson
    • Writer
      • Robert P. Davis
    • Stars
      • Cliff Robertson
      • Diane Baker
      • Frank Converse
    • 15User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos1

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    Top cast38

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    Cliff Robertson
    Cliff Robertson
    • Mike Hagan
    Diane Baker
    Diane Baker
    • Pat Simpson
    Frank Converse
    Frank Converse
    • Jim Cochran
    Milo O'Shea
    Milo O'Shea
    • Doctor O'Brian
    Dana Andrews
    Dana Andrews
    • Randolph Evers
    Gordon MacRae
    Gordon MacRae
    • Joe Barnes
    Edward Binns
    Edward Binns
    • Larry Zanoff
    Jennifer Houlton
    Jennifer Houlton
    • Cricket
    Kitty Sullivan
    • Nancy
    Leigh Cort
    • Jean Hagan
    Bob Willis
    • Ken Howland
    Hope Pomerance
    • Sandy Campbell
    Ted Janus
    • 1st Mechanic
    Paul Stewart
    • 2nd Mechanic
    Bob Kozloski
    • 1st Engineer
    Charles Pitt
    • Ralph
    • (as Charles Pitts)
    Bill Hindman
    • Roger
    Bobby Sherman
    • Bob
    • Director
      • Cliff Robertson
    • Writer
      • Robert P. Davis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews15

    6.4284
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    Featured reviews

    9fpatkelly-1

    Where can I get a copy?

    Super movie. Aviation and alcoholism; rich movie topics done well. Haven't seen in 20 years. But I remember very well. It seems the CAT-III approach to SanFran was close to accurate for 1978. That's probably due to Cliff Robertson's knowledge of all things with wings. He also ended up directing the second half of the movie. Who with flying in their blood could resist the shots of the old DC-8 in flight?

    The pilot's resistance to recovery is also on the bullseye. As well as his high level of functioning while under the influence.
    8rickandjulie

    Cockpit scenes

    The story line is good. What makes this a must see is the true to life cockpit footage. This is the most real to life cockpit filming including ATC, checklist usage and procedures that I have ever seen. Thanks to Cliff Robertson, who is a pilot, this movie is awesome if you are a pilot-or a fan of aviation. Finding this movie is a difficult task. I found it once in Blockbuster in the mid 80's but nothing since. The whole movie is a struggle for Mike Hagan with drinking and keeping his edge in the cockpit. Good ending, doing what you love is what he turns to. I think this movie is underrated as the story line is a personal struggle and involves his work.
    7planktonrules

    Before there was "Flight", there was "The Pilot".

    One of Denzel Washington's best films is "Flight"...the story of a drug and alcohol addicted pilot who manages to function amazingly well while hiding his addiction. I loved the movie and recommend you see it. I mention this because I watched "The Pilot" tonight and was surprised it was very much the same story...but made 32 years earlier!

    Cliff Robertson both stars in "The Pilot" but directed it as well. Mike Hagen is an amazingly talented pilot. Through the course of the story, you see him make amazing decisions that saved his airliner...which is all the more amazing because he's actively drinking...even while flying the plane! Clearly his life out of the sky is falling apart...but he somehow manages to hold it together at work. The story eventually leads to others discovering his addiction and his reaction to this is what much of the story is about in the second half of the film.

    I found a couple things about the movie pretty interesting. In real life, Robertson really WAS an experienced and excellent pilot. He also previously made one of the greatest made for TV films of all time, "Days of Wine and Roses". The film also found him playing an alcoholic and the story was so successful that it was later remade in Hollywood starring Jack Lemmon.

    So is the story any good? Yes, though I must admit that "Flight" is a much stronger film. In other words, it's a very good film...but one that lacks the impact of the later movie. Well worth seeing in spite of this.
    McLearysTrip

    You're all missing the point. Read on...

    The whole point of this movie is this: the PILOT is an extremely talented and conscientious guy with a serious problem - he is an alcoholic. It's a disease!! People without this problem can never begin to understand what it is like. Trust me. I know. The PILOT knows he has a problem. He knows he has to stop. He just can't. This movie is about a decent guy in constant battle with himself, and his struggle to recover. If you missed this, then you missed the point of the movie.
    sbell47

    Technically accurate

    This is the most technically accurate aviation movie I have ever seen. I only noticed one mistake (autopilot was disconnected with the fuel shutoff lever). Appears to have been filmed in an actual DC-8. The treatment of alcoholism also seems plausible.

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    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Started shooting in Palm Beach, Florida in November 1978 according to articles in Boxoffice magazine. Articles said screenwriter Robert P. Davis was directing and that Robertson had co-written the script. "C. Gregory Earls of Cecil Prunier Productions is producing", said the Nov 20 1978 issue of Boxoffice. Apparently Robertson took over the directing chores.

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    FAQ13

    • How long is The Pilot?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Danger in the Skies
    • Filming locations
      • Palm Beach, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Alanda Associates
      • Earls Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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