No Highway in the Sky

Director: Henry Koster Henry Koster

Overview

Henry Koster directs the 1951 aviation drama No Highway in the Sky, based on the novel by Nevil Shute. James Stewart stars as Theodore Honey, a widower and single parent to 11-year-old Elspeth (Janette Scott). He's also an absent-minded engineer who has formed a scientific theory about metal fatigue in a specific model of aircraft. He tries to convince British Airways that their airplanes will come apart after a certain amount of miles, but no one believes him. Then administrator Dennis Scott (Jack Hawkins) sends him on a flying mission to investigate a crash site in Newfoundland. Along the way, he meets stewardess Marjorie Corder (Glynnis Johns) and movie star Monica Teasdale (Marlene Dietrich).

Product Details

Release Date:	07/30/2013
UPC:	0024543878162
Original Release:	1951
Rating:	NR
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	21,743

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

James Stewart	Theodore Honey
Marlene Dietrich	Monica Teasdale
Glynis Johns	Marjorie Corder
Jack Hawkins	Dennis Scott
Ronald Squire	Sir John, the Director
Janette Scott	Elspeth Honey
Niall MacGinnis	Capt. Samuelson
Elizabeth Allan	Shirley Scott
Kenneth More	Dobson
David Hutcheson	Penworthy
Hugh Wakefield	Sir David Moon
Ben Williams	Guard
Maurice Denham	Maj. Pearl
Wilfrid Hyde-White	Fisher
Hector MacGregor	1st Engineer
Basil Appleby	2nd Engineer
Michael Kingsley	Navigator
Peter Murray	Radio Operator
Dora Bryan	Rosie
Jill Clifford	Peggy
Felix Aylmer	Sir Philip
Karel Stepanek	Mannheim
Wilfrid Walter	Tracy
John Salew	Symes
Marcel Poncin	Scientist
Cyril Smith	Airport Officer
Tom Gill	RAF Pilot
Hugh Cross	Director's Secretary
Arthur Lucas	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
Dodd Mehan	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
Maxwell Foster	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
Gerald Kent	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
John Lennox	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
Douglas Bradley-Smith	Staff of Directors at Farnborough
Stuart Nichol	Control Officer
Philip Vickers	Control Officer
Philip Ray	Burroughs
Bessie Love	Actor
Roy Russell	Butler
Diana Bennett	Stewardess
Michael McCarthy	Bus Conductor
Robert Lickens	Autograph Hunter
Catherine Leach	Autograph Hunter

Technical Credits

Henry Koster	Director
Louis D. Lighton	Producer

Editorial Reviews

No Highway in the Sky is a more-than-decent drama about dangerous aviation design flaws that in some ways presaged later real life air disasters suffered by a British-designed jet. While parts of the Highway screenplay are a bit structurally creaky themselves, under Henry Koster's expert and focused direction, they're more than acceptable. As we watch, we know that we're being manipulated, but we're having a good enough time along the way that we don't really mind. Besides, the creators have done a fine job of giving us an engaging hero, an engineer who's socially awkward and not prone to heroics but who finds the ability to rise to heroic heights. Again, we've seen this kind of thing before, but Highway gives the character just enough quirks to make him fresh. More importantly, the character is played by Jimmy Stewart, whose appeal and everyday personality make us like him, and whose considerable skill adds corners and angles to the character that we otherwise wouldn't see. Glynis Johns is also a great addition, but it's Marlene Dietrich who gets the most attention. It may be Stewart's picture, but her glamorous "I'm just being Dietrich" performance is irresistible.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler