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Twelve O'Clock High

Play trailer Poster for Twelve O'Clock High Released Dec 21, 1949 2h 12m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In 1942, an American Air Force unit stationed in England is plagued with morale problems until no-nonsense Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) assumes command. His tough leadership is initially resented by not only his pilots but his second-in-command (Hugh Marlowe), a West Point graduate and son of a general. But, with the help of a hotshot flying ace (Robert Patten) and a sympathetic administrator (Dean Jagger), the unit pulls together into a gung-ho fighting crew.
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Twelve O'Clock High

Twelve O'Clock High

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Critics Consensus

Twelve O'Clock High is a high-stakes, high-tension war drama powered by great, well-written characters.

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Critics Reviews

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Bob Thomas Associated Press It is one of the best treatments of World War II. but not without its defects. These include its length and some of the old war picture cliches. But the acting (especially Peck) and direction approach greatness. Jul 25, 2019 Full Review Empire Magazine A truly remarkable film, that manages to excite and enthrall as well as offer deep, rounded characters. Rated: 5/5 Feb 10, 2012 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Sincere, square, and interminable. Feb 10, 2012 Full Review Dudley Early Austin American-Statesman A very satisfying motion picture, 12 O'Clock High does not quite get over that indefinable line which marks the beginning of greatness. Jun 19, 2020 Full Review Sean Axmaker Seanax.com ... one of the first and arguably the greatest of the Hollywood films to examine the pressures of command and the psychological toll of making life and death decisions for men they come know and care for ... Feb 24, 2016 Full Review Tracy Moore Common Sense Media Gripping psychological war drama has more talk than action. Rated: 4/5 Feb 11, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O It's a fairly low key, very low action and overwrought War film. Peck plays a strong role but it's not particularly dramatic. They set the scene well but it keeps setting the scene and the story ends in a bit of a lame way. Watched on DVD. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/08/24 Full Review Connor S This movie shows the extreme heroics of our greatest generation; but the lack of literally any kind of score makes this more of a drawn-out documentary than it should be. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/10/24 Full Review SICKS6SIX S One of the best aviation films of WW2 I've seen, Gregory Peck who plays General Savage is savage as he turns around a squadron of American bombers based in the UK from deadbeats to top flyers, Everyone in the film acts well, makes a nice change from America winning the war single-handedly without anyone help, it explores the human reaction to fear and death, fear of one's death, the flyers would be aged 18 -15 mainly with some older guys so turning them into fear loathing killers from homesick surfer boys must have been some tough job to do, there wasn't a 918 bomber group but there was a "hard-luck" group the 306th Bomb Group at Thurleigh, which (multiplied by three) became the 918th at Archbury in the book and movie. In November 1942, Eaker (then VIII Bomber Command commander) and Spaatz (Eighth Air Force commander) visited Thurleigh and didn't like what he found and decided to turn it around, the film is based on fact, filmed at Elgin and made to look like Thurleigh, 95% in my book of watchable WW2 films. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/23 Full Review Christopher B A strong performance by Gregory Peck and the supporting cast, the film is a Classic look at life during wartime and the individual and an in depth look at what each person can take when pushed to their brink. The character Peck plays is harsh, unemotional, and downright a hardass but as the film goes on and the General played by Peck grows with his new company of men and experiences battle firsthand and the loss of others, there is a huge change in his character. We see him being pushed to the breaking point and the devastating effects and in a word; transcendence. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/11/22 Full Review Audience Member Made a few years after the killing and dying was over - at least until Korea! - this film portrays some of the psychological toll that combat took on the men who endured it. Some incidents that happened years into the US's involvement of the war are conveniently compressed into a story that initially appears set in 1942; those anachronisms will be lost on younger audiences but the impact of the story shouldn't be. Young men who volunteered for the US Army Air Corps may have figured they'd have it easier than infantrymen, but soon find their comrades killed or shot to pieces, which is a microcosm for entire nations embarking on war envisioning a quick and easy victory. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Twelve O'Clock High is a solid war drama- with almost no action. One thing that I did enjoy was that for the minimal action they choose to depict- they use actual footage of aerial warfare that took place during WWII. Having recently watched Tora! Tora! Tora! and Battle of Britain- I was slightly disappointed that every time the pilots gear up for an air raid- it cuts to the aftermath of them returning without ever showing what happened. I understand this was probably a limitation of the year this movie was made, as well as the budget. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Twelve O'Clock High

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1942, an American Air Force unit stationed in England is plagued with morale problems until no-nonsense Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) assumes command. His tough leadership is initially resented by not only his pilots but his second-in-command (Hugh Marlowe), a West Point graduate and son of a general. But, with the help of a hotshot flying ace (Robert Patten) and a sympathetic administrator (Dean Jagger), the unit pulls together into a gung-ho fighting crew.
Director
Henry King
Producer
Darryl F Zanuck
Screenwriter
Sy Bartlett, Beirne Lay Jr.
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 21, 1949, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 19, 2013
Runtime
2h 12m
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