Six and a Half Magic Hours (1958)

Mar 16, 2016



6 1/2 Magic Hours is a Pan Am promotional film marketing transatlantic air travel at the dawn of the jet age. While at heart an advert for their "magical" service of a flight from New York to London in only 6.5 hours, we are also treated to a nice summary of jet travel history up to that point, the pinnacle of which was their Flight 1000. Thanks to the new jet planes, the public could travel in a faster and easier way as they enjoy the "attractively decorated" and air conditioned plane as well as the "gourmet" meal which bears no resemblance to the boxed meals we are now used to. The interior of the plane is also rather luxurious, with spacious powder rooms for the ladies and a lounge-like area where people can read, play games or have drinks, all whilst being offered a platter of hors d'oeuvres. The silky-toned voice-over declares that "travail has been taken out of travel" and that "Jet speeds will help to accomplish one of man's long-sought goals: an easy interchange of peoples throughout the world".