Description
A Douglas DC-2, from a tiny South American airline, is piloted by Captain Bill Lonagan and co-pilot Joe Brooks, bound for (fictional) Boca Grande. The passengers are: Jud Ellis, escorting his new fiancée Louise Melhorn; repentant political assassin Vasquel, being transported back to the proper authorities by bounty hunter Crimp; mobster Pete Bostwick, accompanying the son of his boss, Tommy; elderly Professor Spangler, accompanied on a research trip by his wife of 42 years; and prostitute Rena, on her way to work a South American casino.
During the flight, the aircraft enters a rough storm and is dangerously jostled about, resulting in Crimp losing his revolver. A portable oxygen tank is loosened from its mooring and crashes through one of the fuselage doors, killing flight attendant Maria Alvarez. The crew is forced to make an emergency landing at a clearing in the remote jungle.
Crimp tries to take charge of the group, but Vasquel stops him, revealing he has Crimp's revolver – which he gives to Captain Lonagan as the legal authority of the stranded group. Late one night, Crimp renders Bostwick temporarily unconscious, steals the revolver, then flees into the jungle.
Ellis is consistently self-serving, to the disappointment of Louise, who finds herself mutually attracted to the brave and upright co-pilot Brooks. When Ellis gets drunk one night, then tries to force himself upon Louise, Brooks steps in to dissuade him.
Lonagan and Rena form a connection, understanding each other's lot in life; he was a highly regarded pilot on major airlines until turning to drink after his wife died, while she is a post-war displaced person unable to get a passport, taken advantage of by men who pushed her into her profession.
After a fortnight of effort, the aircraft is nearly repaired. Tommy wanders into the jungle but is found by Bostwick and Rena, who discover Crimp's headless body. Rena and Tommy return to camp, but local headhunters kill Bostwick with a poison dart.
Everyone quickly boards the plane, but when Lonagan and Brooks start the engines, they discover an oil leak in one engine. Lonagan patches it, but informs the others that it will not hold long. With only one good engine, the aircraft can carry only five people – Tommy plus four adults – over the mountains.
Everyone but Ellis quickly volunteers to be amongst the four who must stay behind and face the headhunters. With gun in hand, Vasquel takes charge, saying he will stay and will chose the other three via logic. The Spanglers, the most elderly, convince Vasquel they should stay. Vasquel selects Ellis as well, then has to kill him when Ellis grabs for the gun. The aircraft manages to take off.
As the headhunters close in, Vasquel saves the Spanglers from torture by shooting them with the last two bullets, then prays as he awaits a horrible death.
