THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY
US, 1954, 141 minutes, Colour.
John Wayne, Doe Avedon, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day, Robert Stack, Jan Sterling, Phil Harris, Robert Newton, David Brian, Paul Kelly, Sidney Blackmer, Julie Bishop, Gonzales Gonzales, John Howard, Wally Brown, William Campbell, John Qualen, Ann Doran, Paul Fix, Joy Kim, Regis Toomey, William Schallert, Julie Mitchum, Karen Sharpe, John Smith.
Directed by William A. Wellman.
The High and the Mighty is now considered the predecessor of the disaster films of the 1970s and 80s, particularly following Airport which was very similar in story. The original novel of The High and the Mighty was by Ernest K. Gann (author of Island in the Sky, filmed by Wellman with John Wayne the previous year, and Soldier of Fortune with Clark Gable and Susan Hayward). Gann wrote the screenplay for this film.
The film was little seen until the early years of the 21st century. There were difficulties in the copyright for several of John Wayne’s films, including Hondo, and they were rarely seen. However, The High and the Mighty is now available for television and DVD.
The film made quite an impact in its time. Looking at it in the retrospective of Airport and other such films, it seems a little dated. As does the background of commercial flying and travel. However, it is well done and gives the audience a good impression of how aviation was in the first part of the 1950s, the airports, check-in, security (and the lack of it), safety advice (very similar to contemporary advice).
The film introduces its range of passengers by having them check in and give the audience the information about them. It also introduces the crew. The rather po-faced pilot is played by Robert Stack (who, perhaps unfortunately in retrospect, took on the role of one of the pilots in the very funny satire on the aviation disaster films, Flying High Airplane).
The star of the film is John Wayne, in one of the most quiet and dignified of his performances. He is really quite impressive in himself, the background of his character, and the scene in which he explains to the passengers their situation. He really is quite impressive. The rest of the cast is not the A-list at Warner Bros of the 1950s, rather second-list performers. However, they are quite impressive in their way, Claire Trevor (who had won an Oscar for best supporting actress in Key Largo) and Jan Sterling were both Oscar nominated. There are some surprising members of the passenger list, especially Robert Newton, again very muted compared with his eye-rolling Long John Silver in Treasure Island. David Brian is an executive. Phil Harris is a devoted husband. Laraine Day is an arrogant wealthy wife. Impressive also are the performances by Wally Brown as the nervous navigator and John Qualen (appearing in many of John Ford’s westerns) who is a simple fisherman but a sensible man who has to control the villain of the piece, played by Sidney Blackmer (Roman in Rosemary’s Baby).
While there are scenes at airports and some flashbacks, most of the action is confined to the body of the plane and the cockpit.
Dimitri Tiomkin’s score won the Oscar – and has the memorable theme from The High and the Mighty, which is often whistled to great effect during the film.
William A. Wellman served in the Lafayette Escadrille during World War One in France, directed the first Oscar-winning film, Wings, also dealing with aviation and this was a theme of many of his features.
1.The popularity of the film in the 1950s, presaging the disaster movies, seen in the light of Airport and other disaster films? Standing on its own feet?
2.Aviation in the early 1950s, the planes, engines, propellers, the crew and their work, the flight attendant, the spacious cabin? Communications with airports, with rescue planes, with ships? Navigation without the benefit of computers? The back-up for security? The safety drills, then and now? Similarities, change?
3.The Hawaiian and San Francisco airports? The flashbacks? The interior of the plane for most of the action, confined, the characters interacting in the plane? Dimitri Tiomkin’s score, the melody, the whistling?
4.The introduction to Dan, his discussion with the pilot, the men talking about him and the accident, the death of his family, his not killing himself? The discussions with Hobie Wheeler and the pilot? Dan’s courage, common sense, his aviation history, the war, the 30s? A strong man, calm, efficient, the scene in which he informed the passengers what was happening, gathering the luggage, holding the door back to throw it out? Calculating the risks at the end? Confronting the pilot? The decision and success? The final encounter with Garfield on the tarmac?
5.The pilot, stern-looking, Hobie Wheeler, the discussion of Dan and his flying career? The pilot and communication, the audience hearing him thinking? His decision, reluctance, wanting to ditch into the sea, persuaded by Dan?
6.The assistant, young, type? The flight attendant, Miss Spalding? At the check-in desk, her personality, meeting the passengers? Her work in the plane, her reassuring the passengers? The navigator, jovial, his work, mistakes, the tray for his wife, imagining her ridiculing him? His apology for mistakes?
7.The plausibility of the plot, the accident, passing the point of no return, the preparation for ditching, the communications to the ship, the Hispanic man and relaying it to the airport, the issue of fuel, the possibility of landing? The background and San Francisco airport, the PR, Garfield and his laidback control of the situation? The passengers and crew disembarking, the role of the media?
8.The introduction of the passengers at the check-in desk, information about them, Miss Spalding, on the plane, Miss Spalding noticing the tremor as did Dan? Her interactions with each of the passengers, the boy sleeping, the couple afraid, the gift of the chime from Mr Briscoe, the safety information? Her own dread of crashing?
9.The boy and his father in Hawaii, the boy sleeping throughout the whole trip, the request that his mother go to visit his father?
10.Don Flaherty, drunk at the airport, the scene of his art, depression, his encounter with Sally, helping her, listening to her story, the makeup, the drink? His escaping with his briefcase through the media?
11.Ed Joseph and his wife, jovial at the airport, the story of their holiday, the story of the various groups and the optimism, that someone was suffering worse than others? The wife and her being loud in her weeping and fear? Pardee and his words, helping her?
12.Pardee and his wife, the Broadway background, his fears, talking to Mrs Joseph, about her children, his kind words, gentleness, then talking with his wife, her expressing her love and admiration for him, the interview with the media at the end about his future and Broadway?
13.The newlyweds, memories of the honeymoon, talk, weeping, the bride’s fear, the love scene?
14.May Holst and her glamour, her dress, helping with the luggage, wisecracking, kissing her fur goodbye, the photo opportunity at the end, supporting Ken Childs by continually talking?
15.Lydia Rice, her affluence, well dressed, bitter with her husband, his dreams, getting money from her father, buying the mine without her permission, her taunting him, refusal to go to live near the mine, wanting a divorce immediately? The danger, her talking more gently, mellowing – but the end, and the importance of making the date and connecting for the social occasion?
16.Briscoe, his illness, delicacy of his bones? The clock and the chimes, the gift to Miss Spalding? Pleasant, genial during the trip? The Korean woman, her gentleness, sitting with Briscoe, helping with throwing the luggage out?
17.Ken Charles, tough, the aviation businessman, the confrontation by Humphrey Agnew? His acknowledging that he was innocent? Depending on May?
18.Humphrey Agnew, in a hurry to board the plane, the confrontation with Charles after walking up and down the aisle, producing the gun, the engine and the fire? Jose Lacota sitting next to him, controlling him?
19.Lacota as the fisherman, returning home, a pleasant man, controlling Agnew, taking the bullets out of the gun, praying the Rosary? Reunited with his family at the end?
20.The audiences identifying with the different characters, the situation on the plane and how they would react in similar circumstances? What became the formula for the disaster films?
