Pandora's Clock (also known as
Doomsday Virus) is a 1996
made-for-TV movie based on the novel by
John J. Nance about a deadly
virus on an Boeing 747-400 form Frankfurt to
JFK Airport. It stars
Richard Dean Anderson,
Stephen Root,
Jane Leeves,
Robert Loggia and
Daphne Zuniga.
Plot
The story begins in the mountains of
Bavaria, Germany, where wildlife documentarian Ernest Helms (
Michael Winters) is filming local wildlife. While filming, he discovers a man attempting to break into his rental car. After foiling the man's attempt, Helms prepares to drive away but is thwarted by the man smashing the driver's window. Helms, however, succeeds in escaping the crazed man, but receives a minor cut on his hand. A few days later, in
Frankfurt, Germany, Captain James Holland (
Richard Dean Anderson), amidst preparations for his forthcoming
transatlantic flight as Captain of Quantum Airlines Flight 66, is told by his doctor he does not have cancer. On board Flight 66, a
Boeing 747-400, Helms (already displaying signs of illness) is assisted to his seat by flight attendant Brenda Hopkins (
Kate Hodge). Shortly after takeoff, Helms rises from his seat and falls into
cardiac arrest, and a flight attendant gives him
CPR. Head flight attendant Barb Rollins (Jennifer Savidge) notifies Holland of the emergency, and the Captain and his
check pilot, Daniel Robb (
Richard Lawson) set a course for
London's
Heathrow Airport,. However they are turned away when British Air-Traffic Control informs them that one of the passengers (Helms) could be infected with a deadly strain of
influenza.