Re-Enactment of 1985 Hijacking

“The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story” (tonight at 9 on Channels 4, 36 and 39) is a re-enactment of the hijacking of a TWA flight from Athens to Rome in 1985. The incident is seen from the perspective of Derickson, the German-born flight attendant who was drafted into service as the terrorists’ interpreter and who was later credited with saving lives.

It appears to be an authentic and harrowing accounting of the episode. If that sounds like a qualified endorsement, it’s only because the tape supplied by NBC for previewing was an unfinished print, minus music, sound effects, color correction and opticals.

The movie depends almost entirely on the film makers’ ability to sustain the dramatic tension that’s inherent in the story. Among their principal tools are the music and sound; without them, dead spots are inevitable.

We can only hope that these spots will have been raised from the dead by the time the film is on the air tonight.

At any rate, Lindsay Wagner is everything you would expect Derickson to be. Her voice and features remain reassuringly steady, but we can still see the terror deep within her eyes.

Norman Morrill’s script depicts the terrorists as more than mere crazies, despite their initial foaming at the mouth, and the innocent passengers and crew strike no false notes. Paul Wendkos directed.