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Features: DVD, Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, Sensormatic
Editor's Note
Dashing Gregory Peck stars as General Frank Savage, commander of the 8th Air Force during World War II. Loosely based on the true story of Major General Frank A. Armstrong, TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH begins with Savage appearing to be a fearless fighter with almost no compassion for his men. Told in flashback from the perspective of Major Harvey Stovall (Dean Jagger), the story unfolds as Savage takes over Stovall's Bomb Group in 1942. The company has suffered numerous losses, morale is at an all-time low, and the tired pilots and their crews are immediately antagonized by Savage's obsession with discipline, leaving Savage and Stovall with the onerous task of rebuilding the pride of a fighting force that despises its leader. Jagger received an Oscar for his efforts, but the real star is Peck, exhibiting a vast repertoire to portray a complicated character. Using actual combat footage from both American and German cameras, director Henry King creates an environment in which bravery and heroism count but war itself is anything but romantic.
Plot Summary
This compelling World War II epic of the 8th Air Force, adapted from the novel by Sy Bartlett and Beirne Lay Jr., is given a new dimension by Gregory Peck, who plays a combat leader who guides his men to the absolute edge. Academy Award Nominations: 4, including Best Picture, Best Actor--Gregory Peck. Academy Awards: 2, including Best Supporting Actor--Dean Jagger.
| Features | NTSC | | Keep Case | | Special Edition | | Full Frame - 1.33 | | Audio:
| Mono - English | | Additional Release Material:
| Featurette: "Memories of TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH" | | Audio Commentary: World War II Film Historian | | Documentary:
| 1. "General Frank Armstrong: The Inspiration for General Savage" | | 2. "The Legacy of the Eighth Airforce" |
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| Technical Info
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Release Information
|  | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 5/12/2009 |
| Running Time: 132 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1949 | | Catalog ID: 2244055 | | UPC: 00024543440550 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: B&W |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Academy Awards (1949) |  | Winner, Best Sound Recording | | Dean Jagger, Winner, Best Supporting Actor |
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"...Peck commands this hardheaded depiction..." -- Rating: B 06/03/1994 p.64USA Today
"...A great movie about the pressures of leadership..." 06/01/2001 p.11E Uncut
"Peck disintegrates movingly for his favorite director, Henry King....A tense, terrific film." 09/01/2005 p.148 |
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