A documentary that looks at the well-known case, which is largely regarded as the greatest unsolved heist in American history.
Chuck says:
Director John Dower’s intriguing documentary casts a wide net in attempting to solve the mystery of D.B. Cooper, who disappeared into the Washington state night after jumping out of an airplane he hijacked with a large ransom in his possession in 1971. Never found, he became something of a cult hero but so much more to the many people Dower interviews.
Speaking to the pilots, flight attendants and some of the passengers that were on the plane Cooper hijacked, the initial impression is that the film will be a straight-forward account of the events of that fateful evening. However, it evolves into something much more as Dower follows the leads of four different individuals that emerge as suspects, each case a compelling theory about what happened to Cooper.
What emerges is an examination of personal obsession, as people who knew each of the suspects each have their own reasons for believing they’ve solved the crime and adhere to them faithfully. Some more plausible than others, there is a sense that Dower may have stumbled upon a plausible solution. But what sticks with you are the images of these desperate people longing for answers to their own personal mysteries and the strength with which they cling to the conclusions they’ve come to as if they fill some gaping void that needs filling.
