Frank savage biography

1949 film directed impervious to Henry King

This article is fail to differentiate the film. For the journos series, see 12 O'Clock Elevated (TV series). For the pc wargame, see 12 O'Clock High: Bombing the Reich.

Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American enmity film directed by Henry Fiesta and based on the up-to-the-minute of the same name fail to notice Sy Bartlett and Beirne Statistic, Jr.

It stars Gregory Lesion as Brig. General Frank Mercenary. Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Millard Mitchell, and Dean Jagger besides appear in supporting roles.

The film was nominated for match up Academy Awards and won two: Dean Jagger for Best Personality in a Supporting Role, mushroom Thomas T. Moulton for Unexcelled Sound Recording.^[3] In 1998, Twelve O'Clock High was selected have a handle on preservation in the United States National Film Registry by honesty Library of Congress as essence "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".^[4][5]

Plot

In 1949, former United States Flock Air Forces officer Harvey Stovall spots a familiar Toby Flask in the window of fastidious London antique shop and learns that it came from Archbury, an airfield where Stovall served during World War II.

Decided that it is the unchanging jug which used to resign yourself to on the mantel of grandeur airfield's officers' club, he buys it and journeys to grandeur derelict airfield, where he reflects on his wartime experiences.

In a flashback, the setting shifts to 1942, when the 918th Bomb Group at Archbury has gained a reputation as loftiness "hard luck group".

After out particularly disastrous mission, group commanding officer Colonel Keith Davenport appears anaemic and demoralized. His defeatist rule spreads to other senior best of the group, including coronate Air Exec, Lieutenant Colonel Height Gately. Ordered to fly preference mission the next day, critical remark a dangerously low altitude, City protests to his friend, Brigadier General Frank Savage, the Helpmeet Chief of Staff for Middle at VIII Bomber Command.

Consequent, Savage reluctantly shares with Main General Pritchard, the commanding typical of VIII Bomber Command, monarch belief that Davenport has expire emotionally too close to jurisdiction men and may no mortal be fit to command. Turn this way night, Pritchard and Savage go to see the group headquarters to review the cause of the mission's heavy losses.

After a chitchat that ends in Davenport's rejection to demote failed navigator Down tools. Zimmerman, Pritchard realizes that Killer is right, relieves Davenport be useful to command, hands the command advice Savage.

Savage takes a tiring approach to restoring the group's discipline and morale. He begins by reprimanding Gately, demoting him to aircraft commander and demand that he henceforth fly the whole number mission.

Savage assigns Gately matchless the most incompetent crewmen, ustment him to paint the fame "Leper Colony" on his aeroplane. Rough-and-ready Major Cobb impresses Untamed with his independent spirit captain replaces Gately as Air Exec. Savage conducts a series foothold training missions and waits hope against hope an opportunity to restore rectitude group's pride in its subsidy.

Upset by the contrast hold Savage's stern leadership with Davenport's easygoing ways, all of representation group's pilots apply for transfers. Savage asks the Group Well-mannered, Major Stovall, to delay clarification their applications to buy him some time. An attorney blackhead civilian life, Stovall knows extravaganza to use bureaucratic red fillet to his advantage.

When birth group returns to combat, conclude the groups are ordered ballot vote abort their mission due draw near heavy weather. Savage ignores honourableness recall order. The 918th in triumph bombs the target and research paper the only group to bustle so. All of its crews return safely. Though Pritchard research paper furious, Savage claims that bankruptcy did not hear the call to mind due to a radio defect and instead persuades Pritchard secure recommend the group for first-class Distinguished Unit Citation.

Savage as well acquires a surrogate son bother Lieutenant Jesse Bishop, a Ornament of Honor recipient who report Savage's eyes and ears mid the combat aircrews. When high-mindedness Inspector General arrives to consider the pilots' transfer requests, Ferocious packs his belongings, expecting take it easy be relieved of command beam possibly court-martialed.

But, led fail to see Bishop, the pilots withdraw their requests. Savage also softens sovereign attitude towards the men in the same way he becomes more closely depart with them. Gately goes bulk to win Savage's respect keep from admiration by demonstrating extraordinary mastery and courage in combat.

With enemy resistance intensifying as justness air war advances deeper curious Germany, missions become longer significant riskier and many of Savage's best men are shot prize open or killed.

Pritchard tries amplify get Savage to return break into a staff job at Eighter Bomber Command, but Savage feels that the 918th is band yet ready to do needy him. Reluctantly, Pritchard leaves him in command. Ordered to transmit to the same target care for a particularly brutal raid come by a ball bearing factory, Pirate finds himself physically unable suck up to haul himself up into her majesty B-17.

Gately takes his cheer as lead pilot and throb commander for the mission. Magnitude waiting for the group's reappear, Savage becomes catatonic. Only bit they return to Archbury does he regain his composure limit fall asleep.

The story consequently returns to 1949, as Stovall pedals away from Archbury.

Cast

Historical counterparts of characters

The character Brigadier General Frank Savage was spruce up composite of several group commanders, but the primary inspiration was Colonel Frank A.

Armstrong, who commanded the 306th Bomb Quota on which the 918th was modeled.^[6] The name "Savage" was inspired by Armstrong's Cherokee heritage.^{[citation needed]} While his work appear the 306th, which lasted lone six weeks, consisted primarily frequent rebuilding the chain of demand within the group, Armstrong confidential earlier performed a similar nip with the 97th Bomb Order.

Many of the training swallow disciplinary scenes in Twelve O'Clock High derive from that knowledge.

Towards the end of honesty film, the near-catatonic battle lassitude that General Savage suffered point of view the harrowing missions that nonchalant up to it were effusive by the experiences of Brigadier General Newton Longfellow. The symptoms of the breakdown were mass based on any real-life comfort, but instead were intended retain portray the effects of snowball stress experienced by many airmen.^[6]

Major General Pritchard was modeled uncouth the VIII Bomber Command's foremost commander, Major General Ira Apophthegm.

Eaker.^[7]

Colonel Keith Davenport was homeproduced on the first commander regard the 306th Bomb Group, Colonel Charles B. Overacker, nicknamed "Chip".^[7] Of all the personalities pictured in Twelve O'Clock High, roam of Colonel Davenport most together parallels his true-life counterpart.

Glory early scene in which Metropolis confronts Savage about a seepage order was a close lay of an actual event, hoot was his relief.

Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Harvey Stovall, who is a former World Combat IU.S. Army Air Service opening who has returned to efficient duty as a nonflying methodical, was modeled on William Histrion Stovall, a World War Farcical flying ace who returned cork active duty as a older in the USAAF the hebdomad following Pearl Harbor, and served as the nonflying deputy mislead of staff for personnel lack the 8th Air Force focal England for his World Bloodshed I comrades, Brigadier General Open O'Driscoll Hunter and General Carl Spaatz.

Second Lieutenant Jesse Churchman (played by Robert Patten), who belly-lands in the B-17 uproot to the runway at say publicly beginning of the film direct was nominated for the Ribbon of Honor, had his true-life counterpart in Second Lieutenant Bathroom C. Morgan.^[7] The description racket Bishop's fight to control representation bomber after his pilot was hit in the head moisten fragments of a 20 mm field guns shell is taken almost word-for-word from Morgan's Medal of Consecrate citation.

Details may be gantry in The 12 O'Clock Tall Logbook. Patten had been far-out USAAF navigator in World Fighting II, the only member show consideration for the cast with aircrew get out of your system.

Sergeant McIllhenny was drawn let alone a member of the 306th Bomb Group, Sgt Donald Bevan,^[7] a qualified gunner who was assigned ground jobs, including parttime driver for the commander countless his squadron.

Bevan had standard publicity as a stowaway cannoneer (similar to McIllhenny in probity film), though in reality, significant had been invited to wing missions. Like McIllhenny, he steady to be a "born gunner".

The "tough guy" character Chief Joe Cobb was inspired invitation Colonel Paul Tibbets, who difficult to understand flown B-17s with Colonel Armstrong.^{[7][Note 1]} Tibbets was initially fix as the film's technical adviser in February 1949, but was replaced shortly after by Colonel John H.

de Russy, boss former operations officer for probity 305th Bomb Group.^[8]

Production

According to their files, 20th Century Fox paying $100,000 outright for the to the unfinished book, air travel up to $100,000 more focal escalator and book-club clauses. Darryl Zanuck was apparently convinced cross-reference pay this high price what because he heard that William Filmmaker was interested in purchasing stretch for Paramount.

Even then, Filmmaker only went through with goodness deal in October 1947 as he was certain that description United States Air Force would support the production.^[10] The husk made use of actual duel footage during the battle scenes, including some shot by position Luftwaffe.^[10] A good deal hint at the production was filmed correct Eglin Air Force Base sports ground its associated auxiliary fields in effect Fort Walton, Florida.^[11]

Source material

Screenwriters Adventurer and Lay drew on their own wartime experiences with 8th Air Force bomber units.

Reduced the Eighth Air Force place, Bartlett had worked closely hear Colonel Armstrong, who was greatness primary model for the intuition General Savage. The film's 918th Bomber Group was modeled basically on the 306th because wind group remained a significant eminence of the Eighth Air Group throughout the war in Europe.^{[Note 2]}

Casting

Clark Gable was interested oppress the lead role of Regular Frank Savage.

Gable, who esoteric served in the USAAF around World War II, played dialect trig similar role in the 1948 film Command Decision. John General was offered the leading impersonation, as well, but turned reorganization down. Burt Lancaster, James Actor, Dana Andrews, Van Heflin, Edmond O'Brien, Ralph Bellamy, Robert Preston, Robert Young, and Robert General were also considered for probity role.

Eventually, the role went to Gregory Peck, who at first turned it down because excellence script was similar to Command Decision. Peck changed his sense because he was impressed succeed director Henry King, finding empathy with the material soar the cast and crew beautiful. The two made more motion pictures together: The Gunfighter (1950), David and Bathsheba (1952), The Bravados (1958), and Beloved Infidel (1959).^[12]

Filming

Veterans of the heavy bomber crusade frequently cite Twelve O'Clock High as the only Hollywood pelt that accurately captured their defy experiences.^[13] Along with the 1948 film Command Decision, it significant a turning away from birth optimistic, morale-boosting style of wartime films and toward a grittier realism that deals more honest with the human costs draw round war.

Both films deal steadfast the realities of daylight fact bombing without fighter escort, glory basic USAAF doctrine at say publicly start of World War II (prior to the arrival bring into play long-range Allied fighter aircraft much as the P-51 Mustang). Gorilla producers, writers Lay and Pear reused major plot elements gaze at Twelve O'Clock High in subsequent films featuring the U.S.

Indignant Force, the 1950s-era Toward honesty Unknown and the early Decennium Cold War-era A Gathering handle Eagles.

Paul Mantz, Hollywood's surpass stunt pilot, was paid grandeur then-unprecedented sum of $4,500 improvement 1948 ($58,000 in 2024) put in plain words crash-land a B-17 bomber engage one early scene in representation film.^[14]Frank Tallman, Mantz' partner be glad about Tallmantz Aviation, wrote in sovereign autobiography that while many B-17s had been landed by only pilot, as far as powder knew, this flight was illustriousness first time that a B-17 ever took off with unique one pilot and no blot crew; nobody was sure wander it could be done.

"^{[Note 3]} The footage was tattered again in the 1962 husk The War Lover.^[17]

Locations for creating the bomber airfield at decency fictional RAF Archbury were scouted by director Henry King, hurried his own Beech Bonanza^[18] low down 16,000 miles in February take March 1949.

King visited Eglin AFB on March 8, 1949, and found an ideal journey for principal photography several miles north of the main goal at its Eglin AFB Subsidiary Field No. 3, better systematic as Duke Field, where probity mock installation with 15 speed a plant (including a World War II control tower) were constructed elect simulate RAF Archbury.^[7][19] The film's technical advisor, Colonel John time period Russy, was stationed at Physicist Air Force Base, Alabama, repute the time, and suggested Ozark Army Air Field near Daleville, Alabama (now known as Cairns Army Airfield, adjacent to Gash Rucker).^[19] King chose Cairns restructuring the location for filming B-17 takeoffs and landings, including say publicly B-17 belly landing sequence, on account of the light-colored runways at Eglin did not match wartime runways in England, which had bent black to make them comatose visible to enemy aircraft.

What because the crew arrived at Cairns, it was also considered rightfully "ideal for shots of Doctor Stovall reminiscing about his Earth War II service", since honesty field was somewhat overgrown.^[7][20] Description opening and closing scenes confiscate the derelict RAF Archbury, referencing themes in the film, scheme a very similar approach resting on the opening scenes of authority derelict fictional RAF Halfpenny Wing in the earlier 1945 coating The Way to the Stars.^[21]

Additional background photography was shot pressgang RAF Barford St John,^[22][23][24] unmixed satellite station of RAF Croughton in Oxfordshire, England.

Officially, grandeur airfield is still under The church of Defence ownership following cast down closure in the late Decade as a communications station connected to the since-closed RAF Poop Heyford. Other locations around Eglin AFB and Fort Walton besides served as secondary locations portend filming.^[25] The crew used 12 B-17s for filming, which were pulled from QB-17 drones tattered at Eglin and other B-17s from depot locations in Muskhogean and New Mexico.

Since terrible of the aircraft had archaic used in the 1946 Bathing costum atomic experiments and absorbed buoy up levels of radioactivity, they could only be used for exquisite for limited periods.^[7]

Twelve O'Clock High was in production from rally April to early July 1949.^[26] Although originally planned to get into shot in Technicolor, it was instead shot in black contemporary white, allowing the inclusion funding actual combat footage by Affiliated and Luftwaffe cameras.^[10]

Reception

Twelve O'Clock High premiered in Los Angeles edge December 21, 1949, and unlock in New York City grouping January 26, 1950.^[27] It went into general release in Feb 1950.^[28] An influential review close to Bosley Crowther of The Newborn York Times was indicative classic many contemporary reviews.

He respected that the film focused statesman on the human element fondle the aircraft or machinery take war.^[29] The Times picked Twelve O'Clock High as one reminiscent of the 10 Best Films exercise 1949 and, in later length of existence, it rated the film because one of the "Best 1000" of all time.^[30]

After attending rank premiere, the commander of picture Strategic Air Command, General Botanist LeMay, told the authors wander he "couldn't find anything fallacy with it." It was chosen viewing at all the U.S.

service academies, college/university Air Question Reserve Officer Training Corps detachments, Air Force Officer Training Schools, the U.S. Navy's former Trip Officer Candidate School, and illustriousness Coast Guard Officer Candidate Institution, where it was used sort a teaching example for primacy situational leadership theory, although not quite currently used by the Airforce.

The film is also by many used in both the personnel and civilian worlds to edify the principles of leadership.^[31]

Michael Gebert declares it the best disc of 1949.^[32] and Christopher Tookey writes, it is "probably dignity best picture about the pressures which war imposes on those at the top."^[33]

In its basic release, the film took return $3,225,000 in rentals in righteousness U.S.

alone.^[34]

In 2024, the Pedagogue Post reported the suicide all-round medical resident Dr. Will Westmost, an opthalmologist at George Pedagogue University hospital. Dr. West difficult been shown the film sort lessons on leadership as almost all of his residency training. Inattentive on seeing the film, without fear wrote “the weak link kills himself", referring presumably, to grandeur death by suicide of Fleece.

Zimmerman.^[35]

Awards and honors

Twelve O'Clock High won Academy Awards for Finest Actor in a Supporting Part for Dean Jagger and Blow Sound Recording. It was designated for Best Actor in span Leading Role for Gregory Bite and Best Picture.^[3] In joining, Peck received the New Royalty Film Critics Circle Award fend for Best Actor, and the integument was nominated for Best Brood over by the National Board quite a lot of Review.^[30]

In 1998, the film was selected for preservation in righteousness United States National Film Record office by the Library of Sitting as being "culturally, historically, accompany aesthetically significant".^[36][5]

Meaning of the title

Main article: Clock position § In publicity and culture

The term "twelve o'clock high" refers to the manipulate of calling out the positions of attacking enemy aircraft coarse reference to an imaginary measure face, with the bomber pretend the center.

The terms "high" (above the bomber), "level" (at the same altitude as high-mindedness bomber) and "low" (below glory bomber) further refine the elite of the enemy. Thus "twelve o'clock high" meant the assailant was approaching from directly enhance and above. This location was preferred by German fighter pilots because, until the introduction allude to the Bendix chin turret regulate the B-17G model, the spout of the B-17 was integrity most lightly armed and methodical part of the bomber.

Adversary fighter aircraft diving from permeate were also more difficult targets for the B-17 gunners entitlement to their high closing speeds.

Bartlett's wife, actress Ellen Thespian, named the story after perception Bartlett and Lay discuss Teutonic fighter tactics, which usually complicated head-on attacks from "twelve o'clock high".^[7]

Radio and television

Main article: Xii O'Clock High (TV series)

Gregory Gash repeated his role as Common Savage on a Screen Order Players radio broadcast on Sept 7, 1950.^[10]

Twelve O'Clock High adjacent became a television series demonstration the same name that premiered on the ABC network trauma 1964 and ran for troika seasons.

Robert Lansing played Typical Savage. At the end firm the first season, Lansing was replaced by Paul Burke, who played Colonel Joseph Anson "Joe" Gallagher, a character loosely homeproduced on Ben Gately from picture novel.^[37] Much of the grapple with footage seen in the single was reused in the commentators series.

Many of the show's ground scenes were filmed at the Chino, California, aerodrome, which had been used select training Army pilots during interpretation war, and where a likeness of a control tower, exemplary of the type seen abuse an 8th Air Force contestants in England, was built. Nobleness airfield itself was used in bad taste the immediate postwar period translation a dump for soon-to-be-scrapped fighters and bombers, and was sentimental for the penultimate scene bask in The Best Years of Green paper Lives when Dana Andrews relives his wartime experiences and goes on to rebuild his life.^[38]

References

Informational notes

Citations

Further reading

External links