Twelve O'Clock High (1949)

A Real Look at Commanding a B17 Group

The realism in this film is what makes it one of my all time favorites. The footage of real B17s in operation; the real war footage while on a mission, and the story itself are as good as it gets. The extra commentary on the second DVD is a wonderful addition of insights to making the film. August 24, 2008

Classic Movie

This is one of "they can't make 'em like this anymore" movies. Brilliant acting and directing. It's based on the 8th Army Airforces early attempts at daylight bombing of Nazi Germany in WW2. It portrays the extreme danger young men had to face day by day in the course of flying these missions. Although it's not a documentary it's a film that reminds us of the sacrifices thousands had to make in order to preserve our values and freedoms. The companion disc about the making of the movie and the history of the events is as intriguing as the movie. It's a "must have" for any classical library. July 18, 2008

A treat to a collector

Despite the "Region Warning", DVD players produced in Brasil as from 2006, will play anything official coming from any part of the world. Quality of the recording is a "10" plus, and the film grips you from end to start. For a WW-II collector like myself, this is a "collectors item" which you cant afford to go without. July 17, 2008

A powerful film that stands up well nearly 60 years later.

This is a powerful movie that emphasizes the difficulties of military leadership and the pressures on airman who have comfortable beds and means in England and have to fly into death and terror days on end. While there are some powerful air battle scenes in the movie, most of it takes place in officer's quarters and on the airbase in England.

I think Gregory Peck gives one of his best performances as General Savage. He is an officer who cares for his men, but cannot show it. He pushes his mean to keep them safe and flies with them more than he should. Eventually, despite putting on the exterior of the fearless, motivated airman and the kind of tough leader he believes his men need, the emotions he has repressed manifest themselves in a rather shocking way.

The men under him have their own struggles with wanting to serve, but realizing all the friends they have lost in order to drop bombs on things that don't really do much to change the war. They want out of the air service, particularly out from under Savage; yet they fly.

Dean Jagger is spectacular as Major Stovall and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this role in 1949. The rest of the cast is very good and the movie holds up well some sixty years on.

Very much worth seeing, but more of a thinking movie than an action film.

I have seen Savage's method of leadership examined in business school for its strengths and weaknesses. Quite an interesting exercise.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
June 24, 2008

A Classic WWII Movie

This is one of my favorite Gregory Peck movies. Although it about WWII, you see very little combat. This film is about the decisions made by the leaders on the ground and how it impacts the men who do the flying and dying. This is a great movie for developing leaders of all professions. May 29, 2008

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