Introduction"The Night They Took Miss Beautiful" is a 1977 American made-for-television drama movie directed by Robert Michael Lewis and composed by George Lefferts. The film stars Gary Collins, Chuck Connors, Henry Gibson, Peter Haskell, Tina Louise, and Victoria Principal. This suspense thriller follows a group of terrorists who pirate a plane carrying beauty entrants, causing a high-stakes hostage scenario. Despite the implausible plot and out-of-date design, the movie uses some genuine thrills and shows the era's worries of terrorism in the aviation industry.
Plot SummaryThe film begins with 5 global beauty queen participants who are traveling to Miami, Florida, to complete in the Miss Beautiful contest. The contestants consist of Miss Greece (Victoria Principal), Miss Mexico, Miss USA, Miss Yugoslavia, and Miss Israel. The pageant participants and a couple of travelers board a chartered plane.
Nevertheless, the participants learn that their flight is anything but glamorous, as a group of global terrorists hijack the aircraft. Led by a man called Paul Fabiani (Gary Collins), the terrorists are intent on acquiring a valuable chemical weapon that is presumed to be on board. The hijackers plan to utilize the appeal contestants as leverage to get the weapon product, and the participants are required to adhere to their captors' demands to save their lives.
As the airplane is diverted to an undisclosed place, the U.S. Government learns of the hijacking and the needs made. A group of professional negotiators, led by Cliff Jordan (Peter Haskell), is quickly generated to deal with the crisis. The negotiators rapidly discover that handling the terrorists won't be an easy task, as the stakes grow greater with each passing hour.
Inside the plane, the contestants face an internal struggle as they pertain to terms with their circumstance. Stress increase as each lady deals with the worry of being held captive, and they pertain to rely on each other for assistance. Miss Greece becomes a level-headed leader amongst the beauty queens, helping them to remain calm and develop a strategy to thwart their captors.
Character DevelopmentAs the story unfolds, viewers are presented to each of the characters, exposing their background stories and stress and anxieties. Many of the pageant participants have individual factors for wanting to protect their liberty - Miss USA is an orphan, searching for a sense of belonging; Miss Israel is a military veteran, determined to gain back control of her captor's influence; and Miss Mexico is an enthusiastic lady with imagine future fame.
The terrorist group also has their inspirations, as they expose that the reason behind the hijacking is to demand a chemical weapon to destabilize an undefined federal government. The leader, Paul Fabiani, is revealed to be ruthless and identified, but not without his moral dilemmas.
As the film advances, relationships begin to develop in between hostages and hijackers. The captors' compassion for the captives slowly grows, as they realize that they are bringing fear and violence into innocent lives. This compassion leads to the eventual breakdown of the hijackers' willpower, leading to a final conflict between the terrorists and the appeal participants.
Styles and Impact"The Night They Took Miss Beautiful" discuss themes of ethical uncertainty, the dangers of terrorism, and the power of unity and relationship amongst a group of diverse people. The movie exposes the vulnerabilities of each character, highlighting that even the most solidified wrongdoers may fight with the atrocities they dedicate.
Though not well-received by critics, the movie highlights the issues of terrorism and aviation security in the late 1970s. It serves as a reminder of the ever-present dangers throughout flight and the importance of the federal government's readiness in such situations.
ConclusionDespite its defects, "The Night They Took Miss Beautiful" is an interesting reflection of its time, depicting the mounting worries of terrorism and hijacking throughout the 1970s. The film effectively delivers suspense, feeling, and a glance into the human psyche when confronted with extraordinary situations. The ensemble cast, led by Victoria Principal and Gary Collins, adds depth and connectivity to the story, making the film an appealing watch for audiences of that era and beyond.
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