Airplane! Page #20

BERNICE:

No. I'm all alone.

MILTON:

Just in case I don't have a chance to say

goodbye, I want you to know that I haven't

spent so many pleasant hours for many

years.

BERNICE:

That's a very nice compliment, and I'd

like to say that...you've done the same

for me.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Dr. Rumack pokes his head in the door.

DR. RUMACK

I just wanted to tell you both good luck.

We're all counting on you.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

Now, Striker...hold your present heading,

put down full flap, bring your air speed

back to a hundred and thirty-five, then I

want you to take hold of the throttle...

HINSHAW:

And stick it in your ear.

KRAMER:

And stick it in your ear.

McCroskey gives Hinshaw a disapproving look.

HINSHAW:

(a la Frogsy, the Gremlin)

I'll be good, I will, I will.

INT. RADAR ROOM

GUNDERSON:

Captain, he's dropping off fast. Almost

seven hundred.

INT. TOWER

KRAMER:

Striker, get back to a thousand feet!

INT. RADAR ROOM

Assistant Radar Operator unloads clothes from radar screen/

wash machine door and puts them into basket.

GUNDERSON:

He's below seven hundred now and he's

still going down! 675! 650! 625! 600!

EXT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT

It knocks the radio tower off a building and heads past the

John Hancock Building.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

Striker, you're coming in too low! What's

your altitude?

STRIKER (v.o.)

I don't know. How high was the eighty-

ninth floor of the John Hancock Building?

INT. RADAR ROOM

GUNDERSON:

He's right on the heading.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

All right, he's on final now! Put out all

runway lights except niner.

EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT

Ambulance attendants, firemen, and emergency vehicles are in

readiness.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

Turn on your landing lights, Striker. It's

the switch above your right knee.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Striker reaches for button above his left knee.

KRAMER (v.o.)

No. I said your right knee.

Striker pushes button over his right knee.

EXT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT

Landing lights come on.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

McCroskey, Kramer, and Mrs. Oveur are nervously watching the

sky.

KRAMER:

All right, now just listen carefully. You

should be able to see the runway at three

hundred feet.

Mrs. Oveur clutches Kramer's arm anxiously.

KRAMER:

Aim to touchdown a third of the way along.

There's a slight crosswind from the right,

so be ready for it.

Mrs. Oveur is clutching Kramer's arm with both hands.

KRAMER:

If you land too fast, use your emergency

brakes. The red handle is right in front

of you.

Now Mrs. Oveur, still watching the sky, has both arms around

Kramer's waist, massaging his chest with her hands.

KRAMER:

If that doesn't stop you...

Kramer is suddenly aware of what Mrs. Oveur is doing. He

gives her a look and she removes her hands.

KRAMER:

If that doesn't stop you, cut the four

ignition switches over the co-pilot's

head.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Striker looks for switches.

INSERT - IGNITION SWITCHES

INT. COCKPIT

STRIKER:

See them, Elaine?

ELAINE:

Uh-huh.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

Do you see us now? You should be able to

see the field now.

EXT. AIRPLANE - THROUGH COCKPIT WINDOW - NIGHT

Striker and Elaine are searching for airfield.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

Kramer and McCroskey are tensely trying to spot plane. Mrs.

Oveur is watching, prayerfully.

EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT

Searchlights scan field.

EXT. TOWER - NIGHT

Revolving beacon searches.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

McCROSKEY

It sure is quiet out there.

KRAMER:

Yeah -- too quiet.

McCROSKEY

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit

sniffing glue.

He pulls a tube of airplane glue from his shirt pocket and

sniffs.

EXT. AIRPLANE - THROUGH COCKPIT WINDOW - NIGHT

Striker and Elaine are searching for airfield.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

Kramer and Mrs. Oveur are anxiously watching the sky.

McCroskey is glazed.

KRAMER:

(excited)

There he is!

(into microphone)

Striker, you're coming in too fast!

STRIKER (v.o.)

I know! I know!

ELAINE (v.o.)

(into microphone)

He knows! He knows!

McCROSKEY

Wow!

EXT. RUNWAY - STRIKER'S POV - NIGHT

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

(into microphone)

Sound your alarm bell now.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Elaine rings alarm bell.

INT. PASSENGER CABIN - NIGHT

Alarm BELL RINGS. Randy is standing in center aisle.

RANDY:

All right, now, everybody get in crash

positions.

Passengers assume various awkward poses as though plane had

just crashed.

EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT

Ambulance attendants anxiously watch sky.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT (PROCESS)

Striker sees airport and points it out to Elaine.

INSERT - AIR SPEED GAUGE

Speed is increasing.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

ELAINE:

Airspeed one twenty-five, one thirty...

She raises her head to look out cockpit window.

EXT. RUNWAY - ELAINE'S POV - NIGHT (STOCK)

The runway lights go out.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Striker and Elaine look at each other, panicked.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

Hinshaw has just pulled a plug from an electrical outlet.

HINSHAW:

Just kidding!

EXT. RUNWAY - ELAINE'S POV - NIGHT

Runway lights go back on.

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Striker and Elaine are relieved.

ELAINE:

...one thirty-five, one forty.

INT. TOWER - NIGHT

KRAMER:

Striker, now listen to me. You're coming

down too fast!

INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

Striker is struggling with steering wheel and sweating.

KRAMER (v.o.)

Put down thirty degrees of flap!

Striker is sweating profusely as he struggles in vain with

the flap switch.

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