This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

"Dale Heath" (Efram Zimblast Jr.) is a Navy jet pilot who had the tragic misfortune to become involved in a mid-air collision resulting in the death of those in the other aircraft which continues to haunt him 3 years later. If that wasn't bad enough, he is also suffering from a bad marriage to "Cheryl Heath" (Rhonda Fleming) who has just informed him that she is filing for divorce. With all of this on his mind, his next assignment involves a flying from California to Washington D.C. with a young seaman named "McVey" (Troy Donahue). Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, a passenger airliner piloted by a man named "Dick Barnett" (Dana Andrews) has just left from Washington D.C. and is headed for Los Angeles. Serving with him is a co-pilot he cannot stand by the name of "Mike Rule" (John Kerr) who harbors some bitter resentment toward him for an incident a couple of years earlier. Throw in a thunderstorm, some faulty navigation equipment and two jet airplanes heading on a direct collision course and the situation becomes even more desperate. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent "disaster film" with a good amount of drama and suspense to keep most viewers entertained. Admittedly, some of the personal interactions and flashbacks were somewhat over-played but it was still an entertaining film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

This one is kind of "Airport" meets "Airplane", combining a mid-air emergency, (not the one in the actual "Airplane" which is based on another film from this period called "Zero Hour"), with goofy scenes involving the mostly silly passengers and their personal stories that would have looked appropriate in an "Airplane" film with no comic embellishments. The director chooses to introduce us to the passengers by zooming in on their faces, graying out the rest of the picture and having them speak their thoughts. There's also major flashbacks about the personal problems of the main characters. As mentioned in other reviews a couple of characters seem to be shouting their lines as if we- or they- were hearing impaired. And stewardess Ann Francis smiles sweetly and issues a wise-crack as the plane is going down. These elements of the film make it major candidate for "Mystery Science Theater 3000" or one of the Medved brother's books on the worst movies of all time. But that isn't what I remembered from this film many years after I first saw it. Ephraim Zimbalest Jr., the s tar of 77 Sunset Strip, and Troy Donahue, of "Surfside 6" and "A Summer Place" are in an Air Force jet flying west. As they were popular stars, one assumes they will make it though the picture. We are introduced to their back stories: a failed marriage and a pregnant girlfriend, (the same problem Troy had in "A Summer Place", the theme of which is played in a restaurant scene). These issues will go unresolved. Then suddenly the passenger plane flying east from the west coast shows up and the planes are coming right at each other. The smaller plane bounces off the bottom of the larger one, taking out an engine from the larger one, then tumbles away and explodes- an explosion that makes it clear that the Zimbalest and Donahue characters were killed instantly. This had the same impact on me that the realization that Janet Leigh's character in "Psycho" is really dead had on me. I just didn't expect it and so that stayed with me all these years. because of that, I just had to watch the film again and came to realize how silly the rest of it is. I wonder what I'll remember years from now?

To solve all your problems (or almost all of them) :feeling at peace with yourself (and with your son) ,making a declaration of love when you are shy and not very handsome,learning how to play a part your future career in Hollywood depends on,marrying the air hostess you're in love with,etc ,there is nothing like a good disaster!A crowded sky indeed!So many characters it's a wonder the director can solve all their problems !The disaster movies which became trendy in the seventies were not an improvement on this 1960 work,the only missing character is a young child!It's pleasant to see Patsy Kelly as a manager and there are many more familiar faces on the plane ,although they play cardboard characters.

It has been a long time since I saw this movie but it is pretty good. I keep wondering why it and other airplane disaster movies have not been released on DVD. Another one I have looked for is Fate is the Hunter. Maybe it is because of 9/11. The airplanes are obsolete compared to the kind we fly in today but they are still good movies. The original airplane disaster movie (not just my opinion) is The High and the Mighty from 1954 I believe. Maybe it has been released due to the star being John Wayne. Talk about obsolete planes and the passengers in Hawaii having to go thru customs as Hawaii was not yet a state. It is still a great movie with a lot of suspense. The Crowded Sky is the same type of movie and should be released on DVD. What can I say, I like this type of movie.