This is the true story of the Wetzel and Strelzyk families who escaped East Germany via a hot air balloon in 1979. It was a story that rocked the world.
This is a solid little thriller. John Hurt and Beau Bridges play the patriarchs and they are supported by great actors like Jane Alexander and Ian Bannen.
I remember when this film came out some people were not sure what to make of it. This was a serious cold war drama coming from a company best known for making family films. While this is about families trying to be free, there is a seriousness to it that most people at the time didn't expect from Disney. It was too adult for those looking for family films and the right audience didn't think Disney could pull it off.
I like the film a great deal it's a hell of a story and director Delbert Mann and his cast manage to create some real suspense from a story that was fresh in the memories of many in the movie going public.
Seeing it now I am very aware of how much of it's time it is. Actually it's more clear if you watch the film BALLOON from 2018 which told the same story, but a bit more clear eyed and without jingoistic baggage.
On the other hand this film is a solid thriller and definitely worth a watch.
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