Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
Country: US
Technical: bw 132m
Director: Henry King
Cast: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Dean Jagger
Synopsis:
During the early days of daylight precision bombing, the commander of a US B17 squadron succumbs to the pressures of taking his men up day after day, and is relieved of duty. His replacement comes down hard on the men, and succeeds in raising their morale through leadership, but just how far can the crews be pushed to secure their 'maximum effort', and what of his own limits?
Review:
Mostly grounded war drama, except for one climactic combat sequence drawing on archive USAF and Luftwaffe footage. It draws instead on psychology and claustrophobia in its focus on life at the base, centring the action around closely shot, cogently acted scenes in which the characters weigh their own and their subordinates' breaking points against the priority of winning the war. Moving and perceptive, and with a low-key ending that is particularly effective, the film reminds its audience that it was never inevitable that the Allies would win at all.
Country: US
Technical: bw 132m
Director: Henry King
Cast: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Dean Jagger
Synopsis:
During the early days of daylight precision bombing, the commander of a US B17 squadron succumbs to the pressures of taking his men up day after day, and is relieved of duty. His replacement comes down hard on the men, and succeeds in raising their morale through leadership, but just how far can the crews be pushed to secure their 'maximum effort', and what of his own limits?
Review:
Mostly grounded war drama, except for one climactic combat sequence drawing on archive USAF and Luftwaffe footage. It draws instead on psychology and claustrophobia in its focus on life at the base, centring the action around closely shot, cogently acted scenes in which the characters weigh their own and their subordinates' breaking points against the priority of winning the war. Moving and perceptive, and with a low-key ending that is particularly effective, the film reminds its audience that it was never inevitable that the Allies would win at all.
Country: US
Technical: bw 132m
Director: Henry King
Cast: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Dean Jagger
Synopsis:
During the early days of daylight precision bombing, the commander of a US B17 squadron succumbs to the pressures of taking his men up day after day, and is relieved of duty. His replacement comes down hard on the men, and succeeds in raising their morale through leadership, but just how far can the crews be pushed to secure their 'maximum effort', and what of his own limits?
Review:
Mostly grounded war drama, except for one climactic combat sequence drawing on archive USAF and Luftwaffe footage. It draws instead on psychology and claustrophobia in its focus on life at the base, centring the action around closely shot, cogently acted scenes in which the characters weigh their own and their subordinates' breaking points against the priority of winning the war. Moving and perceptive, and with a low-key ending that is particularly effective, the film reminds its audience that it was never inevitable that the Allies would win at all.