Germany in the "Swinging Sixties": the Bundeswehr is equipping itself with the ultra-modern "Starfighter" fighter jet. The air force pilots, including the daredevil Harry and his buddy Richie, are the stars of the armed forces. But the fascination with the fastest fighter jet in the world is offset by a dramatic series of accidents: Pilots crash to their deaths in the "Starfighter" one after the other. Officially, the disasters are attributed to human error. But Harry's wife Betti doesn't believe this - and after another serious accident, she takes up the fight against a seemingly overpowering alliance of politics, the military and business, supported by her friend Helga...
Production
Period-perfect West Germany aesthetic, all chrome and cigarettes.
Acting
Picco von Groote carries the film's moral weight with ferocity.
Director
Miguel Alexandre
Picco von Groote
Betti Schäfer
Steve Windolf
Harry Schäfer
Frederick Lau
Richie Weichert
Alice Dwyer
Helga Waldeck
Paula Kalenberg
Evi Kranz
Walter Sittler
Gordon Marks
Peter Kremer
Kommodore Kieser
Christoph Schechinger
Werner Kranz
Florian Panzner
Dieter Mertens
Josephin Busch
Maria Euringer
Judith Hoersch
Hannelore
Lenn Kudrjawizki
Assistent Stevens
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The F-104G earned nicknames like 'Widowmaker' and 'Flying Coffin' across NATO, but West Germany's loss rate was catastrophic—political pressure from Lockheed and US-German relations kept planes flying despite known flaws.
Director Miguel Alexandre recreated period-accurate Starfighter cockpits; the real jets were too dangerous and expensive to use for filming. Frederick Lau (Richie) later called this his most physically demanding role despite minimal flying scenes.
DE
