Edgar Anscombe (Christopher Reeve) is an instructor at a US Army Air Corps flying school in 1918.

Ten years later, Edgar is a Contract Air Mail pilot flying the rugged CAM-5 route between Elko, Nevada and Pasco, Washington.

During the stopover at Boise, Idaho, Edgar's pilot friend, Jerry Stiller (Scott Wilson) changes the oil lines on the engine, but neglects to inspect his work as a call has just come in for him.

However, the engine loses oil pressure and soon fails, causing Edgar to crash land on a remote ridge.

However, while returning to camp he is attacked by a pack of wolves who steal the rabbit and badly injure his arm.

Faced with the continued threat of the wolves, and since the remains of the aircraft have been destroyed, Edgar and Tillie decide to climb down the cliff to the canyon below.

Although set in the northwestern United States, the film was actually shot in Croatia near Rijeka, and Ljubljana, Slovenia, then a part of Yugoslavia.

The last major feature, Blaze of Noon (1947), also adapted from a Gann novel, that explored the air mail period was mildly successful.

[3] Film critic Leonard Maltin's review was succinct, "Dull Ernest Gann story barely made it (and understandably so) to theaters.