Rent Cone of Silence (1960)

Aviation Thriller. - Cone of Silence review by Steve

Solid low budget thriller loosely based on the notorious crash of a de Havilland jet aircraft in Rome in 1952. It is very similar to the 1951 aviation disaster film No Highway, but viewed from the perspective of the pilots, rather than the boffins. And it's not as starry as that production by Fox.

Following a few near misses and the write off of a passenger plane, an inquiry (by George Sanders) concludes pilot error. This lets off the manufacturers and the airline, but is bad news for the meticulous, experienced skipper in the hot seat (Bernard Lee). Michael Craig is the suave flight instructor who seeks to clear his name.

Much of the action is knocked up in the studio with models, which isn't really a weakness. While some may find the subject of ground atmospherics and take-off technique a little dry, there are also terrifically suspenseful moments of life and death as the planes struggle to get off the ground on the runways of some of the world's most exotic capitals.

Which are recreated in the studio of course. It's a low-key procedural film which offers an insight into the aviation industry from a number of perspectives. Lee is excellent as usual. While the production values are no more than functional, there's a brisk, engrossing story, as well as the exciting moments of crisis, during which there is no panic. Because this is a British film.