It’s an iconic scene in the movie Airplane! Two gentlemen start speaking in a nonsensical language, known as “Jive.” After a brief bit, one of the men comes down with a stomach ailment, to which another nearby passenger offers to assist by translating for the stewardess. It’s a hilarious few moments, and one of the funniest scenes in the movie.
There’s an interesting behind the scenes looking at the making of “Jive talk” with commentary from the directors and the actors themselves.
They wanted jive as a language, which it is not. Jive is only a word here or a phrase there.
Barbara Billingsley, another actor in the film who makes a brief appearance during the Jive dialogue set also has her own interview describing the scene.
My part wasn’t written. It just said I talked jive. I met the producer and I said I would do it. I met the two black fellows that taught me jive. … It wasn’t hard for me to learn.
It’s a cool behind the scenes look at the making of Airplane! If you’ve seen the movie before, this is sure to put a smile on your face!
Leave a Reply