VidSurf

Cone of Silence

Cone of Silence

6.7

1960

88 min

Drama

Thriller

A seasoned pilot is condemned for an error which causes a crash. The pilot later dies in a crash with similar circumstances and an examiner looks for scientific reasons for the crashes.

Cone of Silence

6.7

1960

88 min

Drama

Thriller

A seasoned pilot is condemned for an error which causes a crash. The pilot later dies in a crash with similar circumstances and an examiner looks for scientific reasons for the crashes.

Cast

Michael Craig

Capt. Hugh Dallas

Peter Cushing

Capt. Clive Judd

Bernard Lee

Capt. George Gort

Elizabeth Seal

Charlotte Gort

George Sanders

Sir Arnold Hobbes

André Morell

Capt. Edward Manningham

Gordon Jackson

Capt. Jock Bateson

Charles Tingwell

Capt. Braddock

Noel Willman

Nigel Pickering

Delphi Lawrence

Joyce Mitchell

Marne Maitland

Mr. Robinson

William Abney

First Officer

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

10 months ago

Just as jet engine-powered aircraft were starting to take to the skies, veteran "Capt. Gort" (Bernard Lee) is involved in a near miss trying to take off in his new, state-of-the-art "Phoenix" aircraft. At the subsequent inquiry, he faces thinly veiled criticism from "Sir Arnold" (George Sanders) but is nonetheless cleared to keep flying by his senior colleague "Dallas" (Michael Craig). This earns both of them the chagrin of fellow pilot "Judd" (Peter Cushing) who's convinced of operator error and makes no bones about expressing his suspicions about "Gort" - especially when a landing at Calcutta reveals some foliage in the undercarriage. Thing is, both "Gort" and "Dallas" are convinced they are following the rules, to the letter, so what's wrong? When a tragedy ensues, the most convenient solution would seem to be to simply blame the pilot, but perhaps the foliage might reveal more clues as to what actually went wrong? There's a rather unnecessary romantic sub-plot with Craig and Elizabeth Seal's "Charlotte", but otherwise this is quite tautly directed thriller that uses some decent photography to illustrate the perils of the pilots and the claustrophobia of their tiny cockpits. The setting in India also presents us with an almost palpably hot and humid scenario for these airborne shenanigans. Cushing delivers best, I thought, as the man who comes across as jealous, or concerned, or ambitious or maybe all three? It's a simple story well acted and told and maybe isn't a film to watch if you have the slightest fear of flying (or, indeed, want one!).