TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH

US, 1950, 132 minutes, Black and White.
Gregory Peck, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Dean Jagger, Millard Mitchell, Paul Stewart.
Directed by Henry King.

Twelve O’ Clock High was one of the best films to come out of the immediate post war movie boom. It pays its visual tribute to the first Americans involved in Europe - but it leaves war heroics to a minimum. In fact the film states that action from genuine war film has been incorporated into it. The attention of Twelve O'Clock High is rather on the men who fly the missions, on the necessary leadership and loyalty and on what maximum endurance really is.

Gregory Peck gives a strong performance in the role of General Frank Savage who takes over a bomber unit whose morale is down; he applies severity measures. The film contrasts his approach with the humane psychological film about the men who fight, and, as such, it is an absorbing film (and a masculine film). Dean Jagger won an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actor of the year for his role.

1. Why is this a different war film from the usual ones that date from the late 40's and the 50's?

2. What does the film show about - the qualities of leadership; group morale; men's bending under pressure; over identification of leaders with their men; over dependence of men on a leader; the limits of severe discipline; the need to work as a group in war and subordinate personal feelings?

3. Was General Savage correct in his manoeuvres to keep his men together?

4. How did he make them want to stay with him? were his tactics good?

5. Discuss General Savage's tearing strips off Gately. Did he do the right thing with Gately? Would you have acted this way in these circumstances?

6. Why did General Savage break down? Was it his fault in any way?

7. Why was the film made from the point of view of General Savage's assistant? Did he really see things as they were from an unbiased viewpoint?