John Chard

Under Pressure. Twelve O'Clock High features one of Gregory Peck's best performances as Brigadier General Frank Savage, a tough no nonsense martinet brought in to shake up a World War II Bomber Squadron. The men are shattered emotionally and it is deemed their previous commander (Gary Merrill) has been soft with them, no chance of that with Savage, but is he himself taking too much on? Split into two parts, the first half of pic deals with how a group of men in war time can reach their lowest ebb. Fear of the jinx, fear of cracking under the strain, these men are by definition demoralised. Things are further compounded by the appointment of Savage, who drags the group further down the battered emotional scale. Second half softens things for a short while as Savage's methods begin take a hold, then there's the missions and it builds to the film's revelation, which ironically lets Peck become a revelation as well. Director Henry King is on form, showcasing the skill of directing an ensemble cast, which sees Dean Jagger add mighty heft to the work of Peck, Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Paul Stewart and Millard Mitchell. The flying sequences are expertly photographed (Leon Shamroy), with real footage splicing effective, while the writing allows the piece to exude a realism factor, which in turn offers up a more humane war film delving into psychological stings. 8/10