Airplane! (1980) — Screenplay
A traumatized ex-pilot must overcome his fear of flying to land a passenger jet after food poisoning strikes down the crew, with only a drug-addled air traffic controller to guide him.
- Written by
- Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
- Genre
- Comedy
- Length
- 112 pages
This screenplay is a masterclass in comedic pacing and deadpan delivery, effortlessly weaving rapid-fire gags into a classic disaster-movie structure. Its precise use of visual and verbal callbacks rewards repeat reads, while the ensemble cast's commitment to straight-faced absurdity makes every line land. Study it for a lesson in balancing absurdity with a surprisingly solid narrative spine.
Read the full Airplane! (1980) screenplay in PDF, page by page, right here on Laper — or download the original script to study Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker’s scene work, dialogue and structure at your own pace. A free resource for screenwriters and film students learning Hollywood script format.