‘Air Force One’ Comes in for a Landing

The Scene: Monday’s benefit world premiere of Columbia’s “Air Force One” at the Cineplex Odeon in Century City. This is the big midsummer Harrison Ford action film--as president he does a Rambo against those pesky terrorists infesting his plane. “It’s a wonderful, entertaining film with a very strong thread of emotion that runs through it that dignifies the whole process,” said Ford. “This film is as well-equipped to do well as any film I’ve ever made.”

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Who Was There: Ford, director Wolfgang Petersen, producers Armyan Bernstein and Gail Katz, plus 1,500 guests, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Kelly Preston, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Tia Carrere, Martin Landau, Colm Meaney, Richard Baskin, Lou Pitt, Nick Reed, Brad Krevoy, Mike Marcus, Steve Stabler and studio execs John Calley, Lucy Fisher, Gareth Wigan and Bob Levin.

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The After-Party: The grassy plaza adjacent to the theater was done over by Along Came Mary with red, white and blue bunting, dozens of flags and 20 buffets with American chow. It had the feel of a D.C. fund-raising party. But with better-looking guests because--as the epigram goes--”Washington is Hollywood for ugly people.”

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Quoted: Director Petersen (who made the classic submarine film “Das Boot”) on working with confined space: “The best dramatic situation is when people are locked away and they can’t escape. But it’s very important the audience know every inch of where the drama takes place. Map out the geography of the drama. Then when the action takes place, the audience knows precisely where they are and they enjoy it much more.”

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Most Stellar Press Inquiry: UPN’s Miguel A. Nunez Jr. was on hand to “come out here and mess with people” for a one-hour special. He asked Ford, “You’ve got 900 acres in Montana. Can I mow your grass?” Pretty much any time he wants.

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Fashion Trend: A tide of wedgie sandals. Once in the realm of Prada, they’ve reached the cheapie/knockoff stage. “Wedgies for the masses,” is the way one fashion maven described the inundation.

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Money Matters: More than $250,000 was raised for Cure Autism Now’s work in biological research. “People used to think autism was a psychological disorder,” said founder Jon Shestack, “but it’s a medical disorder that will have a medical cure.”

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Tag line: A Hollywood savant said of Ford’s career, “After the movie, I turned to my wife and said, ‘Looks like he’s got four more years.’ ”