This is an engrossing study of the psychological aspects of war. Gregory Peck plays an air force general assigned to resurrect the flagging performance of a bomber group. He succeeds at great cost to himself. The entire story is a flashback seen through the eyes of the general's aide (played by Dean Jagger).
The film presents the horror of war in an unusually subtle way. At the beginning of the film a bomber crash lands. One of the crew is missing. One limb is still in the plane. "Where's the rest of him", one of the cast asks. "In a French hospital I hope," the pilot responds. When it became obvious that he wouldn't survive the return flight, the crew placed a tourniquet on him and gave him a parachute. Dean Jagger climbs into the plane with a blanket and soon reappears cradling something in the blanket.
Much of the film occurs inside the dingy and dark confines of the quonset hut offices of the air group. Decisions are made. Some are promoted. Others are demoted. Ultimately, there is resurrection for the group as they come to have pride in themselves and each other.
Hugh Marlowe has an interesting role as an officer demoted by Peck early in the film. He is assigned to fly a plane named "The Leper Colony", which becomes the home of all the malcontents and incompetents in the outfit. He flies unflinchingly even after his plane crashes in the English channel. His resurrection in the eyes of the general is one of the most touching moments in the film. He is recuperating in the hospital after flying three missions with a broken back. The general realizes that he has misjudged Marlowe. He can't quite come to admit it, but he goes to see Marlowe at the hospital. When the general leaves there are tears in Marlowe's eyes.
There are few action scenes in this film. Near the end there is a scene that contains some great combat footage from both Allied and German sources. There is also another scene where a bomber crash lands and takes out some tents. Apparently, this stunt wasn't originally part of the script, but it was so good that the filmmakers left it in. I would have done so, too.
The psychological cost of war is obvious at the end. Peck can't fly. He has a physical and mental breakdown. Although he can't fly with the group, he can't let go until the planes return. When they do he goes to bed, probably for a long time. He is finished as a commander. He has come to the same point as his predecessor. It is never clear what happens to him. It is perhaps significant that we see the story through his aide's eyes.
The film presents the horror of war in an unusually subtle way. At the beginning of the film a bomber crash lands. One of the crew is missing. One limb is still in the plane. "Where's the rest of him", one of the cast asks. "In a French hospital I hope," the pilot responds. When it became obvious that he wouldn't survive the return flight, the crew placed a tourniquet on him and gave him a parachute. Dean Jagger climbs into the plane with a blanket and soon reappears cradling something in the blanket.
Much of the film occurs inside the dingy and dark confines of the quonset hut offices of the air group. Decisions are made. Some are promoted. Others are demoted. Ultimately, there is resurrection for the group as they come to have pride in themselves and each other.
Hugh Marlowe has an interesting role as an officer demoted by Peck early in the film. He is assigned to fly a plane named "The Leper Colony", which becomes the home of all the malcontents and incompetents in the outfit. He flies unflinchingly even after his plane crashes in the English channel. His resurrection in the eyes of the general is one of the most touching moments in the film. He is recuperating in the hospital after flying three missions with a broken back. The general realizes that he has misjudged Marlowe. He can't quite come to admit it, but he goes to see Marlowe at the hospital. When the general leaves there are tears in Marlowe's eyes.
There are few action scenes in this film. Near the end there is a scene that contains some great combat footage from both Allied and German sources. There is also another scene where a bomber crash lands and takes out some tents. Apparently, this stunt wasn't originally part of the script, but it was so good that the filmmakers left it in. I would have done so, too.
The psychological cost of war is obvious at the end. Peck can't fly. He has a physical and mental breakdown. Although he can't fly with the group, he can't let go until the planes return. When they do he goes to bed, probably for a long time. He is finished as a commander. He has come to the same point as his predecessor. It is never clear what happens to him. It is perhaps significant that we see the story through his aide's eyes.