STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND

US, 1955, 114 minutes, Colour.
James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Lovejoy, Barry Sullivan, Alex Nicholl, Brace Bennett.
Directed by Anthony Mann.

Strategic Air Command was one of eight films that James Stewart made with director Anthony Mann during the 50s. Most of them were westerns, pieces of Americana where Stewart was both hero and villain in turn. Others of the eight included Thunder Bay in which James Stewart was working for a large oil company and this film in which he is a veteran pilot of World War II who is called up in the 50s to test the new jets. The film is a real flag-waver in the spirit of the 150s. It made impact because of the presence of Stewart and June Allyson. (They had teamed in Mann's The Glenn Miller Story, another flag-waver and war memory of the period, and Sam Wood's baseball film The Stratton Story (1949)).

The film is fairly conventional in its presentation of its lanky hero, his memories of World War II, his adapting to the new technology of the '50s, his'romance with his affectionate and long-suffering wife. The military are presented fairly sympathetically but strongly - Frank Lovejoy's character's name is, ironically, General Hawkes! The film also has a score by Victor Young.

Strategic Air Command takes for granted America's supremacy and its need to maintain its arms and planes. Its screenplay highlights the argument for arms build-up as deterrence. There is some easy, at times almost glib, talk about nuclear capability and testing. The film highlights, in popular entertainment, the attitudes of the 50s which, in the 80s, receive more emphasis with the Reagan administration.

1. A piece of Americana? Patriotism, flag-waver? The history of American aviation? The American Air Force? The build-up of the Strategic Air Command? Heroism, romance? A popular entertainment of the '50s?

2. James Stewart and June Allyson as popular stars, the style of the times, serving as models? The post-World War II family trying to build up, changes? The background of the cold war, Strategic Air Command, American needs, planes and the development of the jets? The work of the test pilot?

3. The cold war and the build-up of arms, planes? Tests? The Strategic Air Command and the necessity for continued alert? Nuclear capability? The argument for arms and deterrence? America' s faith in itself?

4. The docu-drama style with the planes, the emphasis on technology, development? The pilots adapting and learning? Comparisons with World War II? Lengthy flights, tests in Arctic Circle, crashes and rescues, the testing of bombs? Continued dangers for the pilots?

5. Romance: the war hero, civilian life, baseball (and its American patriotic touch)? The call-up, Dutch's decisions, training, health tests, drill? The work of the test pilot - the office administration, the flying? The demands, time, teamwork? The response of the 'other pilots and their criticisms? Authorities? Dangers, tests, crash-landing? Injuries? Dutch and his final decision? His career, patriotism? Dutch and his relationship to Sally, her support, his absence, the birth of the child, and its symbolic name, Hope? The final decision?

6. American romance - Sally as affectionate wife, home-maJttr, giving it up, following her husband, being hard on the authorities, the absences, anxiety, disappointment, the birth of the child, the final decision?

7. The background of the baseball world, the coach? The American world and its values to be preserved?

8. Military authorities, command, expectations?

9. Personnel and the effect of the flying on their lives?

10. Belief in American supremacy, the nuclear build-up, long-range deterrence? portraying a genial hawkish patriotism?