Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, (more)
- Director(s):
- Henry King
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Twelve O'Clock High
How much can a man give? When the U.S. 8th Army Air Force 918th Bombardment group is ordered on their fourth harrowing mission in four hard days, Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) demands "maximum effort." The bombers are forced to fly lower, to fly farther, and to test themselves -- overspent and fatigued -- right up until death's door. When their dedicated colonel speaks out in their defense, Savage mercilessly takes over command -- an officer should not sympathize with his men. The Brigadier General will compel the 918th to stop pitying itself and to hone its morale in the face of danger. Yet, as the men grow colder due to Savage's orders and the missions bring them closer to their crucial German targets, the officer learns the practical impossibility of raising the confidence of young men while also sending them to their deaths. He begins to understand that it is the burden of command that makes even the toughest leader sympathetic. Eventually caring for his men above all else, it is Savage who is forced to carry the hardships of "maximum effort" -- asking himself, how much can a man take? ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 132 mins
Complete Cast of Twelve O'Clock High
- Gregory Peck - Gen. Frank Savage
- Gary Merrill - Col. Keith Davenport
- Dean Jagger - Major Harvey Stovall
- Paul Stewart - Major "Doc" Kaiser
- Joyce MacKenzie - Nurse
- Sam Edwards - Birdwell
- John Zilly - Sergeant Ernie
- Richard Anderson - Lieutenant McKessen
- Kenneth Tobey - Sentry
- Peter Ortiz - Weather Observer
- Patrick Whyte - Clerk
- Robert Patten - Lieutenant Bishop
- Russ Conway - Operations Officer
- Hugh Marlowe - Lt. Col. Ben Gately
- Millard Mitchell - General Pritchard
- Robert Arthur - Sergeant McIllhenny
- John Kellogg - Major Cobb
- Lee MacGregor - Lieutenant Zimmerman
- Roger Anderson - Interrogation Officer
- William Short - Lieutenant Pettinghill
- Lawrence Dobkin - Captain Twombley
- Campbell Copelin - Mr. Britton
- Steve Clark - Clerk in Antique Shop
- Don Hicks - Lieutenant Wilson
- John R. McKee - Operations Officer
- Director(s):
- Henry King
- Writer(s):
- Lt. Beirne Lay, Jr., Sy Bartlett
- Producer(s):
- Darryl F. Zanuck
- Categories:
- War
- 1998 - Library of Congress - U.S. National Film Registry
- 1950 - New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actor
- 1949 - New York Times - 10 Best Films
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