The High and the Mighty (1954)

When a commercial airliner develops engine problems on a trans-Pacific flight and the pilot loses his nerve, it is up to the washed-up co-pilot Dan Roman to bring the plane in safely.

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Ernest K. Gann (screenplay), Ernest K. Gann (novel)

Stars:

John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Dan Roman
Claire Trevor	...	May Holst
Laraine Day	...	Lydia Rice
Robert Stack	...	John Sullivan
Jan Sterling	...	Sally McKee
Phil Harris	...	Ed Joseph
Robert Newton	...	Gustave Pardee
David Brian	...	Ken Childs
Paul Kelly	...	Donald Flaherty
Sidney Blackmer	...	Humphrey Agnew
Julie Bishop	...	Lillian Pardee
Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez	...	Gonzales (as Gonzalez Gonzalez)
John Howard	...	Howard Rice
Wally Brown	...	Lenny Wilby, navigator
William Campbell	...	Hobie Wheeler

Storyline

On a flight from Hawaii to California, the engine dies on the plane Dan is flying. As he prepares for a crash landing, the passengers reassess their lives. The template for disaster movies with an Oscar-winning score and a cast list that reads like a who's who of 1950s film.

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Plot Keywords:

ocean crossing | airplane accident | based on novel | dysfunctional marriage | male male relationship | 

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Taglines:

The 2-Year Best-Seller Sensation! The Year's Greatest Cast!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Once the film soared at the box office, director William Wellman revealed that Joan Crawford, Ida Lupino, Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers and Dorothy McGuire had all turned down their choice of roles, as none of them were willing to be seen in so unflattering a light as that shone upon the characters played by Claire Trevor and Jan Sterling - both of whom, ironically, were Oscar nominated for their efforts.

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Goofs

In the flashback story her husband tells, Clara Joseph falls down some stairs and kicks a waiter's tray in the process. However, when they cut from the closeup of her feet, she is obviously sitting on the bottom step. She then leans back, takes aim, and kicks the tray. She then lies back like it was all one continuous motion.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ben Sneed: Hey fella, ain't you Dan Roman?
Dan Roman: Yeah.
Ben Sneed: I heard you whistlin' and I said to myself only one guy does that just so.

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Alternate Versions

A very few prints were made for release in the Los Angeles area during December, 1954 which included a vocal version of the Main Theme from "The High and the Mighty" in the closing credits. This was done to qualify the film for eligibility in the AMPAS Best Song category for the year. However, the Best Song award went to "Three Coins in the Fountain".

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Connections

Referenced in I Love Lucy: Lucy and John Wayne (1955)

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Soundtracks

Barber of Seville
(excerpts) (uncredited)
Music by Gioachino Rossini

User Reviews

The Wayne Family needs to open the vault and get this legendary film back to the public as a DVD or VHS before people forget about it.

I saw The High and the Mighty when I was 16 in a theater when it first came out. Every woman walked out in love with John Wayne and every man wanted to BE John Wayne. We all hummed, whistled or la-la-la'd the theme song all the way home.

I would love to add The High and the Mighty to my collection of John Wayne films, but the Wayne Family Trust has got to allow this film to be converted to either a DVD or a VHS format. I know they are waiting for the time when they can squeeze the maximum number of dollars out of it, but if they aren't careful, they will wait too long and the world will have moved so far beyond the ideas, concepts and technology of the 50's that the film will not appeal to the younger generation of purchasers of movies.

It's more than just Wayne's performance that is being withheld from the public. I am also a great admirer of the work of the great British actor, Robert Newton and he turned in a marvelous performance here. So did Jan Sterling, Claire Trevor, Paul Fix, Lorraine Day and all the rest of the cast. Their fans deserve to see these actors in this film too. The only actor I could live without is Robert Stack. He has never done a thing for me. But the film as a whole is wonderful and should be released...ASAP

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 July 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

The High and the Mighty

Filming Locations:

San Francisco Municipal Airport, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,470,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wayne-Fellows Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

147 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1