Twelve O’clock High (1949)

“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.” – Maj. Harvey Stovall

Number of Times Seen – 1 (12 May 2013)

Brief Synopsis – A US bomber squadron must deal with the bombing raids against Germany and the psychological toll that it causes

My Take on it – I decided to watch this movie in order to see why All the Kings Men (1949), a mediocre at best Oscar Best Picture Winner just to see what it was up against.

This movie is interesting from the aspect that it came out right after the war ended and it dealt with issues that many people were in denial of at the time; Shell shock victims.

What I liked the most about the movie was the real life footage used for the battle scenes. They apparently took footage shot by real bombers and incorporated it in the film to make it seem more realistic (and it worked).

Gregory Peck is the only actor I recognized and I thought he was much better in Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) and in To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), but he was fine here too.

Dean Jagger was great as Major Stovall. He deservingly won a Supporting Actor Oscar for it.

Bottom Line – Ok movie, nice aerial shots of real WWII fighting.

Rating – BAFTA Worthy