Broder

The Flight of the Phoenix During a violent sandstorm an uncharted cargo plane crashlands in the Libyan desert hundreds of miles off its intended flight path. As a result, 12 men are stranded. One is severely injured. Help will not be on the way. The pilot, a grizzled veteran, feels responsible for the crash and the impending doom of his passengers. In the midst of understandable despair and personality conflict, one of the passengers -- an arrogant young German airplane designer -- proposes a plan to canniblize the original plane and, using salvaged parts, build another plane to fly the survivors to safety. The epic struggle for authority which follows pits the guilt-ridden pilot against the German designer. The movie is a thrilling drama in its own right, but it is also mankind's struggle for survival in microcosm. Will genius triumph over stupidity? Can tolerance, common sense and the fiesty survivalist human spirit foil petty jealousies, emotionalism and nationalist bigotry (the movie is set in the aftermath of WWII). I watched this movie again this morning for the nth time and thought again that they're not making them now the way they used to. Admittedly, I'm an old guy and possibly prejudiced. But, young people, watch it and tell me if I'm wrong.