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{{Short description|1961 film by Reginald Le Borg}}
{{italic title}}{{Infobox film
| name = The Flight thatThat Disappeared
| image size =
| image =
| captionimage = Flight that Disappeared.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Reginald Le Borg]]
| producer = [[Robert E. Kent]]
| writer = {{plainlistplain list|
* Ralph Hart
* Judith Hart
* Owen Harris
}}
| starring = {{plainlistplain list|
* [[Craig Hill (actor)|Craig Hill]]
* [[Paula Raymond]]
* [[Dayton Lummis]]
}}
| music = [[Richard LaSalle]]
| cinematography = [[Gilbert Warrenton]]
| editing = Kenneth Crane
| distributor = [[United Artists]]
| studio = Harvard Film CorpCorporation
| released = {{film date|1961|909|13}}
| runtime = 72 minutes
| country = USUnited States
| language = English
| budget =
}}
'''''The Flight thatThat Disappeared''''' (a.k.a. '''''Flight That Disappeared''''') is a 1961 American [[science fiction film]], produced by [[Robert E. Kent]], directed by [[Reginald Le Borg]], that stars [[Craig Hill (actor)|Craig Hill]], [[Paula Raymond]], and [[Dayton Lummis]]. The film was released by [[United Artists]].<ref>[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/17119/Flight-That-Disappeared/ '"Overview: 'The Flight that Disappeared''."] at ''[[TCMDB|Turner Classic Movies]]''. Retrieved: March 21, 2017.</ref><ref>Dixon, 1992 [[Craigp. Hill4: (actor)|Craig“...more Hill]]properly starsclassified as a rocketsilent scientistfiction who,film.”</ref> whenThe film's storyline deals with an [[alien abduction]]. When his flight disappears, a rocket scientist finds himself on trial in the future for his part in designing a bombweapon that has destroyed all life on Earth.
 
==Plot==
Trans-Coast Airways Flight 60 leaves Los Angeles on a tripflight to [[Washington, D.C.]] Three scientists on board the transcontinental flight have been calledsummoned forto a classified meeting at [[the Pentagon]], concerning the "beta bomb", a new bomb design and the rocket to deliver it. Mid-flight, the plane[[Douglas DC-6]] airliner mysteriously begins to climb, to over 10 miles high. TheBack enginesat stopthe airline headquarters, andOperations passengersManager passHank outNorton due(John Bryant) tries to lackkeep ofin contact with the flight, but is sure that nothing can be done to save the passengers and oxygencrew.
 
The engines stop, and passengers pass out due to lack of oxygen. Crazed passenger Walter Cooper (Harvey Stephens) who has tried to convince others that using the secret bomb is essential, jumps from the aircraft. Three scientists, Dr. Carl Morris ([[Dayton Lummis]]), Tom Endicott ([[Craig Hill (actor)|Craig Hill]]) and Marcia Paxton ([[Paula Raymond]]) find themselves in a limbo state, watches stopped and no heartbeats.
The three scientists find themselves in a limbo state, watches stopped and no heartbeats. They are taken from the plane for judgement from those of the future. They find themselves in a moment between time, which explains the stopped watches and lack of heartbeats. They are shown, in brief, a future where their bomb has been used and destroyed all life on the planet, having destroyed the atmosphere. They are judged guilty and sentenced to live in the moment with no time for the rest of eternity, where the future and past meet.▼
 
▲TheMeeting threethe scientistsExaminer find(Gregory themselves in a limbo stateMorton), watchesthe stoppedtrio andof noscientists heartbeats. They are taken fromleave the planeaircraft for judgement from those of the future. They find themselves in a moment between time, which explains the stopped watches and lack of heartbeats. They are shown, in brief, a future where their bomb has been used and having destroyed the atmosphere, has killed off all life on the planet, having destroyed the atmosphere. They are judged guilty and sentenced to live in the moment with no time for the rest of eternity, where the future and past meet.
After one of the future men objects that they can not be judged by a future society, they are returned to the present on a technicality. The passengers have no memory of any of the actions on board before passing out, with the exception of the rocket engineer. When the plane lands at Washington, they discover they are 24 hours late, thus proving the fantastic story of the trial and judgement. The nuclear bomb designer disposes of his notebook containing the formulas and designs for the bomb.▼
 
▲After one of the futureSage men([[Addison Richards]]) objects that theythe canscientists notfrom the past cannot be judged by a future society, they are returned to the present on athis technicality. The passengers have no memory of any of the actions on board before passing out, with the exception of Endicott, the rocket engineer. Whenand theDr. planeMorris. landsMarcia atPaxton Washington,only theythinks discoverthat theythe areevent 24was hoursa late,dream. thusWalter provingCooper thereappears, fantastic story ofand the trialflight andcrew judgement.do Thenot nuclearseem bombto designerhave disposesany recall of his notebook containing the formulasemergency andthat designstook forplace on the bombflight.
 
When Captain Hank Norton (John Bryant) calls for landing instructions, the airline office is perplexed. When their airliner lands at Washington, the passengers and crew discover that they are 24 hours late, thus proving Endicott's fantastic story of the trial and judgement. Dr. Morris, the nuclear bomb designer, disposes of his notebook containing the formulas and designs for the bomb.
 
==Cast==
{{div col}}
* [[Craig Hill (actor)|Craig Hill]] as Tom Endicott
* [[Paula Raymond]] as Marcia Paxton
* [[Dayton Lummis]] as Dr. Carl Morris
* [[Meg Wyllie]] as Helen Cooper
* Gregory Morton as The Examiner
* Harvey Stephens as Walter Cooper
* John Bryant as Hank Norton
* Nancy Hale as Barbara Nielsen
* [[Addison Richards]] as The Sage
* [[Brad Trumbull]] as Jack Peters
* Bernadette Hale as Joan Agnew
* [[Roy Engel]] as Jameson (credited as Roy Engle)
{{div col end}}
 
==Production==
Conceived as a low-budget “[[Message picture|message]]” film concerning “the perils of the nuclear arms race,” director LeBorg was compelled to use stock footage for depictions of thermonuclear war.<ref>Dixon, 1992 p. 35: Stock footage and “a few sparse sets” were used to depict “the scenes of nuclear devastation.” And p. 110: LeBorg reported that he had worked with writers Ralph and Judith Hart and [[Owen Harris (director)|Owen Harris]] on the script.</ref>
 
The inflight scenes of ''The Flight That Disappeared'' were photographed in a studio-made airliner fuselage, passenger section, lounge and cockpit section, while background scenes were shot at [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles Airport]].<ref>Santoir, Christian. [http://www.aeromovies.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=964 "Review: 'The Flight That Disappeared'."] ''Aeromovies''. Retrieved: March 21, 2017.</ref>{{#tag:ref|The use of stock footage was problematic as the DC-6 airliner, at times, was shown as a [[Douglas DC-7]], and even a [[Douglas DC-3]].|group=Note}} The 2 by 2 seating is correct, but the single aisle is wider than on the prototype, possibly to facilitate camera work.The picture was shot in eight days, “remarkable for a feature made in the 1960s.”<ref>Dixon, 1992 p. 36, p. 110: Here shooting days reported as ten.</ref>
 
The project was made at the nadir of LeBorg’s career; he did not regard ''The Flight That Disappeared'' to be a genuine assignment: “I guess I just didn’t get a film…I couldn’t even get an agent.”<ref>Dixon, 1992 p. 109: From April 8, 1988 interview with Dixon at [[University of Nebraska]]. LeBorg: “I didn’t get an assignment...They [the studios] forgot me.” And p. 110: LeBorg, asked if he “particularly liked” the film, replied “Yes, I liked it.”</ref>
 
==Reception==
''[[TV Guide]]'' ratedgave itthe 2/4film two stars andout wroteof four, writing that it''The Flight That Disappeared'' becomes "more relevant with time".<ref>{{cite web|url=[http://www.tvguide.com/movies/the-flight-that-disappeared/review/114944/|title= "Review: 'The Flight That Disappeared|author=<!--'."] Staff -->|work=''[[TV Guide]]|accessdate=2015''. Retrieved: March 21, 2017.</ref> Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo, in his critique of this low-09-10}}budget film, wrote, "The incredible plot makes the film all but unwatchable",<ref>Pendo 1985, p. 284.</ref> and the poster showing a "jetliner" didn't help matters.
 
''The Flight That Disappeared'' recouped its production costs at the box office, and garnered a small profit, then “vanished almost immediately after its initial release.”<ref>Dixon, 1992 p. 35-36</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[List of American films of 1961]]
 
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=Note}}
 
==References==
{{reflistReflist}}
 
==Sources==
*[[Wheeler Winston Dixon|Dixon, Wheeler Winston]]. 1992. ''The Films of Reginald LeBorg: Interviews, Essays, and Filmography.'' Filmmakers No. 31 ''[[The Scarecrow Press]]'', Metuchen, New Jersey. {{ISBN |0-8108-2550-3}}
* Pendo, Stephen. ''Aviation in the Cinema''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. {{ISBN|0-8-1081-746-2}}.
* [[Bill Warren (film historian and critic)|Warren, Bill]]. ''Keep Watching The Skies, American Science Fiction Movies of the 1950s'', Vol II: 1958 - 1962 (covers late 1950s movies not released until the early 1960s). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 1986. {{ISBN|0-89950-032-3}}.
 
==External links==
* {{TCMDb title|id= 17119}}
* {{IMDb title|0054881}}
 
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[[Category:American science fiction films]]
 
[[Category:Anti-nuclear films]]
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[[Category:English-language independent films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Reginald Le Borg]]
[[Category:Films scored by Richard LaSalle]]
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[[Category:United Artists films]]
[[Category:English-language science fiction films]]
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