The Runaway Bus (1953)

In the grip of a relentless fog that has paralyzed Britain for two days, grounding air and rail traffic, London's Heathrow Airport becomes a realm of chaos and stalled journeys. Unable to operate, the British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C.) and other airlines have resorted to deploying buses to ferry stranded passengers to alternate airports. Among the stranded is the irascible and self-centered Miss Cynthia Beeston (Dame Margaret Rutherford), who successfully commandeers a B.O.A.C. bus. Joining her are three unsuspecting passengers: the inexperienced Janie Grey (Belinda Lee), the conservative Edward Schroeder (George Coulouris), and the timid Henry Waterman (Toke Townley). They are headed to Blackbush Airport, their journey accompanied by the charming pilot Peter Jones (Terence Alexander) and the pragmatic flight attendant Lee Nicholls (Petula Clark). Driving them through this milky labyrinth is the exasperated and clumsy Percy Lamb (Frankie Howerd), whose navigation skills leave much to be desired. Unknown to most of them is a sinister twist: a heist of two hundred thousand pounds worth of gold bars has just taken place at the airport, the bounty craftily hidden on their very bus by the criminal mastermind known as "The Banker". This clandestine passenger, likely among the seven onboard, poses a deadly threat to the others, a ticking time bomb that could explode if the Banker is cornered. Meanwhile, the police are racing against time, grappling with not only the task of communicating with the bus via the airline's speaker system, but also locating it in the thick fog. In this engrossing tale of suspense, the passengers are trapped in a foggy labyrinth, their lives hanging by a thread as they navigate the treacherous path towards discovery and survival. The journey to Blackbush Airport transforms into a thrilling game of cat and mouse, with the fog serving as the perfect accomplice to a nefarious plan. Will they uncover the identity of the Banker before it's too late? Or will the fog claim them, one by one?

The Runaway Bus is a comedy movie featuring Frankie Howerd and directed by Val Guest.

The Runaway Bus is currently streaming on DIRECTV.

It is also possible to buy The Runaway Bus on Amazon Video.