Twelve O'Clock High

Year:

1950

Duration:

132 min

Genres:

Action | Drama | War

IMDB rate:

7.8

Director:

Henry King

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1950-02-13

Filming Locations: Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Harry Lauter

Gregory Peck

Gen. Frank Savage

Hugh Marlowe

Lt. Col. Ben Gately

Gary Merrill

Col. Keith Davenport

Millard Mitchell

Gen. Pritchard

Dean Jagger

Maj. Harvey Stovall

Robert Arthur

Sgt. McIllhenny

Paul Stewart

Capt. 'Doc' Kaiser

John Kellogg

Maj. Cobb

Robert Patten

Lt. Bishop

Lee MacGregor

Lt. Zimmerman

Sam Edwards

Birdwell

Roger Anderson

Interrogation Officer

Robert Blunt

Officer (uncredited)

William Bryant

Radio Operator (uncredited)

Steve Clark

Clerk in Antique Shop (uncredited)

Russ Conway

Operations Officer (uncredited)

Campbell Copelin

Mr. Britton (uncredited)

Leslie Denison

RAF Officer (uncredited)

Lawrence Dobkin

Capt. Twombley (uncredited)

George Edwards

Officer (uncredited)

Robert Fisher

Savage's Co-Pilot (uncredited)

Stanley Fraser

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Bert Freed

Officer Standing at Bar (uncredited)

Greg Gallagher

Officer (uncredited)

Don Gaudagno

Dwight - Hospital Patient (uncredited)

Don Giovanni

Cobb's Co-Pilot (uncredited)

Don Gordon

First Patient in Base Hospital (uncredited)

Don Hicks

Lt Wilson (uncredited)

Ray Hyke

Corporal Bartender at Officer's Club (uncredited)

Barry Jones

Lord Haw-Haw

Joyce Mackenzie

Nurse (uncredited)

Mike Mahoney

Corporal (uncredited)

John McKee

Operations Officer (uncredited)

Peter Ortiz

Weather Observer (uncredited)

Paul Picerni

Bombardier (uncredited)

Nelson Scott

Gately's Co-Pilot (uncredited)

William Short

Lt. Pettinghill (uncredited)

John Shulick

Navigator (uncredited)

Bob Tidwell

Bishop's Co-Pilot (uncredited)

Kenneth Tobey

Sgt. Keller - Guard at Gate (uncredited)

Guy Way

Barman (uncredited)

Patrick Whyte

Clerk (uncredited)

John Zilly

Sgt. Ernie - Gen. Savage's Driver (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

A romantic subplot, which features in the book, was dropped at the studio's insistence. They wanted the script to concentrate fully on the psychological effects of war and the theme of leadership.

Share this

The air battles were cut together from authentic World War II footage.

Share this

The B-17 bomber crash landing at the airstrip near the beginning of the movie was no special effect. Stunt pilot Paul Mantz was paid $4,500 to crash-land the bomber. Mantz of course walked away from the wreck. Until the 1970s, that was the largest amount ever paid to a stuntman for a single stunt.

Share this

Goofs

During the aerial combat scenes of the movie's last mission, actual WWII combat footage is randomly inserted to add realism. However, three of these clips clearly show a closeup of an American P-47 fighter attacking the B-17's.

Share this

In the movie credits, the flight surgeon is listed as "Capt. 'Doc' Kaiser". However, from the character's first appearance at the crash-landed B-17 in the opening scene, he wears oak leaves of a major (or a lieutenant colonel, since in a B&W movie we can't initially tell if they are gold or silver). Later, he is always referred to as a major.

Share this

During the first attack on the ball bearing plant, when the bombs are released, you see two groups of bombs on the racks, one in front of the other. The B-17 carried all its bombs in one vertical stack. The American bomber in use at the time that would have had forward and aft stacks would be the B-24. The bomb bay doors on the B-24 roll up like garage doors, but you clearly see the doors hinged back, and the bombs have a round support around the fin. The American bombs of this time had a square support to the fins. The bomb release is shown from what appears to be an Avro Lancaster, a British bomber.

Share this

Quotes

Major Harvey Stovall: That is not why I am drunk tonight. I got drunk because I am confused. I was thinking, which is a thing a man should not do, and all at once I couldn't remember what any of them looked like. I, I couldn't see their faces, Bishop, Cobb, Wilson, Zimmy, all of them. All of you. They all looked alike, just one face. And it was very young. It confused me. I think I shall stay drunk until I'm not confused anymore.

Share this

General Frank Savage: Rights, Gately? You've got a right to explain to General Pritchard cowardice, desertion of your post, a yellow streak a mile wide! And maybe he can explain it to your father so that they'll both be proud of you! You can tell him right now.

Share this

General Frank Savage: So for the sake of your roommate you violated group integrity. Every gun on a B-17 is designed to give the group maximum defensive firepower - that's what I mean by group integrity. When you pull a B-17 out of a formation you reduce the defensive power of the group by ten guns. A crippled aeroplane has to be expendable. The one thing which is never expendable is your obligation to this group. This group... this group - that has to be your loyalty; your only reason for being. Gately!

Share this