One Man Mutiny (1955)
"The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" (original title)

A dramatization of the American general and his court martial for publically complaining about High Command's dismissal and neglect of the aerial fighting forces.

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

Milton Sperling (story), Emmet Lavery (story),

Stars:

Gary Cooper, Charles Bickford, Ralph Bellamy

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Cooper	...	Col. Billy Mitchell
Charles Bickford	...	Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
Ralph Bellamy	...	Congressman Frank R. Reid
Rod Steiger	...	Maj. Allan Guillion
Elizabeth Montgomery	...	Margaret Lansdowne
Fred Clark	...	Col. Moreland
James Daly	...	Lt. Col. Herbert White
Jack Lord	...	Lt. Cmdr. Zachary 'Zack' Lansdowne
Peter Graves	...	Capt. Bob Elliott
Darren McGavin	...	Capt. Russ Peters
Robert F. Simon	...	Adm. Gage (as Robert Simon)
Charles Dingle	...	Sen. Fullerton
Dayton Lummis	...	Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Tom McKee	...	Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker
Stephen Roberts	...	Maj. Carl Spaatz (as Steve Roberts)

Storyline

The true story of General Billy Mitchell, a pioneering crusader for the Army's fledgling air corp. In spite of an impressive performance during the First World War, the commanders of America's armed forces still think of the airplane as little more then a carnival attraction. Even after sinking an "unsinkable" captured German battleship from the air, Mitchell sees funds dry up and friends die due to poor equipment. He is court-martialed after questioning the loyalty of his superiors for allowing the air corp to deteriorate.

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Plot Keywords:

general | court martial | battleship | aviation pioneer | u.s. president | 

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Taglines:

He defied the army and navy . . . and they gave him a Court Martial!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Condamné au silence

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

United States Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (optical prints) 4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (magnetic prints)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Elizabeth Montgomery.

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Goofs

The award ribbons on Billy Mitchell's uniform coat are arranged in rows of three. However, he actually wore them in rows of four.

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Quotes

Admiral William S. Sims: Just because you read a lot of books about golf, doesn't make you a good golfer.

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Connections

Referenced in M*A*S*H: 5 O'Clock Charlie (1973)

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Soundtracks

"Tea for Two"
(uncredited)
Music by Vincent Youmans

User Reviews

A riveting historical court martial

This movie portrays a riveting historical account that tells the story of a visionary of his era who was wrongfully convicted of speaking his mind and not obeying military policy and procedure of the time. After the movie ended, I was immediately compelled to "google" Colonel Billy Mitchell and learn more about his court-martial. Movies like this are intriguing due to the fact that most people of the modern day do not remember, nor have ever been schooled in military history. Billy Mitchell's accounts and rationale for putting himself in the "hot seat" for the good of out country, despite having the knowledge that in doing so he'd undergo a court-martial, are commendable and honorable. Historically, time has told the truth and validated and, in my mind, vindicated Colonel Mitchell. His vision has led to the creation of the greatest Air Force the world will ever know.