Twelve O'clock High!

[John Beaman]

Ruy:

I'm glad you enjoyed this. It is, in spite of its age, one of the all time classics. In this movie, Americans, indeed, fighting men everywhere, were depicited as heroic but very human. I.e., one could break down as a result of combat. It was a mold breaker for Hollywood in this regard. Peck is superb. Gary Merrill was "blacklisted" shortly after this by Hollywood during the McCarthy era. Fortunately, his lovely wife, Diana was not.

As you watch the film remember that all the B-17s were real. There were still plenty of flyable ones around in 1949. Paul Mantz, notable stunt pilot (Flight of the Phoenix), crash landed the B-17 in the opening scene. The film was shot in Alabama--scrub oaks and persimmon trees everywhere) and at what is now Egland AFB in Florida. It was too expensive to shoot in England.

The drama of opening scene with Dean Jaeger recalling his wartime service has never been topped! When that B-17 engine cranks up with the blowback--whew........!
John