‘Miracle Landing’ Is the Bravest Wholesome Movie on YouTube

Miracle Landing
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[00:00:00] Most suspenseful movies aren't safe for the whole family. You know the edge of your seat ones that you just can't risk watching with the kids in the room, but _Miracle Landing_ proves that wrong. This 1990 CBS made-for-TV movie is based on one unimaginable event. No profanity, gore, or nudity. It's suspenseful, won an Emmy, completely clean, good for ages eight and up and it's one you will not forget. We're covering, what actually happened, why this movie works for your whole family. And there's an interesting connection that it has with the X-Files. So stick around.

Welcome to Wholesome TV Picks. The only podcast where every recommendation is backed by 35 years of watching wholesome TV, so you never waste another night on the wrong pick. Let's get into today's episode.

Before Sully Sullenberger and the Miracle on the Hudson, there was Captain Bob [00:01:00] Schornstheimer. _Miracle__ Landing_ is the story about Aloha Airlines flight 243 on April 28th, 1988. 20 minutes after takeoff from Hilo, Hawaii on its way to Honolulu, half of the plane's, fuselage ripped off. 89 people were on board.

What you see in this movie is chaos. Wind tearing through the cabin, people screaming, some passengers helping each other, some freezing, and a crew that refused to give up. If you've never heard about this event. I don't think you'd actually believe it even happened if you'd never seen this movie. Half the plane gone and this amazing crew still landed it in one piece.

One reviewer is actually the son of a survivor of that flight. This is what makes it different from your typical based on a true story movie. He was a kid when they filmed the movie and was on set at one time. He met the real captain, Bob Schornstheimer, and First Officer Mimi [00:02:00] Tompkins, and thanked them for bringing his dad home.

There's a scene in the movie that shows the teamwork and courage involved for the survival of everyone on board. Flight attendant Michelle Honda is on the floor hanging onto the bottom metal part of a seat, that attaches to the floor, and trying to figure out how to get through this.

Then we're taken back to a memory of her with her dad in a conversation that they once had. Her father's in the Army and she asked her dad, _Aren't__ you afraid? Even when like people are shooting at you ?_

He says, _Always.__ But you do it anyway because if you don't, some of your buddies might get hurt._

_What if it doesn't work?_

_You've gotta try. Whether it works or not, you've gotta try._

Then the movie cuts back to her and she gets up and she starts doing what needs to be done. Courage under fire. It's a lesson for anyone to experience. And that's just one scene of courage that's displayed in the film.

[00:03:00] Additionally, he said the director, Dick Lowry and the cast did a superb job staying true to what actually happened. Although he did say, it was much noisier and windier than the movie can actually portray.

Funny how I didn't even connect dots, until I was recording this episode that I actually worked with him back when I was in the visual effects department at CBS a long time ago. It's just crazy how life comes full circle.

There are three big lessons your kids will take away from the movie. First bravery. I'm not talking about the adrenaline kind of bravery where someone jumps off of a building. I'm talking about the kind where you do your job, even when everything around you is falling apart, literally. There was an article that came out a few years ago and someone who worked for the airlines said what Captain Schornstheimer did by landing this aircraft in the condition it was in, was just miraculous, if not more than Sully's Hudson River landing.

[00:04:00] Second on-the-spot thinking. Captain Schornstheimer said the following, in that same interview, _Most__ of what I did in the air was done by memory. It was all done from experience and recollection and determining what was most important at the time._

Nothing he'd ever trained for compared to what he experienced that day. Think about it. He had too many emergencies demanding his attention all at once. He couldn't afford a panic, so what did he do? He relied on 15,000 plus landings and his Air Force and his previous Air Force instructor and experience practice matters even when you think you'll never need it. When has that ever happened to you or I doing learning something and always questioning When will I ever need this?

Third teamwork. The pilots couldn't communicate with the flight attendants and the flight attendants couldn't communicate with the pilots. Debris was blocking them from seeing each other and took out the communications. You can see they trusted each other [00:05:00] and they did their jobs. They worked together even though there was no way to coordinate who was gonna do what. Your kids are going to see how much people can accomplish when they trust each other. Even when they can't communicate. And that's powerful.

Speaking of trust, the director of this movie trusted the right guy to create the music for the movie. Did you guess the X-Files connection of this movie? The music was composed by none other than Mark Snow. The music he created for the movie really brings the tension and suspense and resolution like no other.

Another quick fun connection is the boy who plays Will from _The New Lassie_ series that I talked about back in episode 15 is Will Estes. And he has a small role in this movie too. I'll link that episode in the show notes if you wanna check it out.

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Here's the bottom line on _Miracle Landing_. This [00:06:00] movie's about real people who had no way to talk to each other, no training that prepared them for what happened, and zero guarantee it was going to work, but they still did their job and saved 88 people.

I read somewhere that after the plane landed safely, Captain Schornstheimer said he thanked Think about it for a second. The next time your kids ask, _when am I ever gonna use this_? You can answer, for one captain. It saved 88 lives.

This movie is highly suspenseful and emotional. It was a great production put together based off of true events that wasn't overly dramatized. The heroism of these everyday people: the Captain Bob Schornstheimer, first Officer Mimi Tompkins and flight attendant Michelle Honda, went above and beyond the call of duty on this day.

It's definitely a must watch, and once you watch it, you'll never forget it and your kids will never forget it. It's a movie experience like none other.

[00:07:00] You can watch _Miracle Landing_ for free on YouTube tonight.

If you've got one less thing to worry about when you hit play, do me a favor and head on over to Apple Podcasts and leave a quick review. It really helps more parents find wholesome content they can actually trust watching with your kids shows and movies to watch with your kids without the guesswork.

Join me next week where we're going back to 1965 for a musical of a familiar story that is both captivating and magical in a way, modern fairy tales just aren't anymore. Thanks for listening. As always, have a great rest of your week. Happy watching, and remember, your values matter and your TV should too.

Take care.