Rating: 
Summary: Landmark American Film that must be seen!
Review: Tied up for years in the John Wayne estate has been the re-release of this 1954 movie, "The High and the Mighty". (which won the Academy Award for Best Song that year...look for a plaque at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood when you visit there). As a child growing up in L.A. in the 50's and 60's, I remember the then RKO TV station Channel 9 would show this movie relentlessly for years on end. Then it all stopped. The movie vanished. And now it is being held hostage for some legal reason. It is a movie filled with surplatives though younger viewers might find the lack of hyberbolic special effects, sexual gymnastics, de riguer corporate disembowlment themes, blah blah....too unsurvivable for a start-to-finish viewing. It is a vintage 50's type movie...at its best. This is John Wayne's best movie, in my opinion. He is excellent...taking him out of the cowboy theme he ultimately became cemented into. I will always remember John Wayne in my mind as he was in this movie...especially the very last scene which alone is worth the price of admission. Fittingly, the Orange County Airport is named after John Wayne, who had a career early on of appearing in films with aviation themes. Ernest K. Gann, who penned the story, was an American Airlines pilot who churned out aviation novel, one after another. His equally famous novel that was made into an excellent movie, was "Fate is the Hunter". Both of these movies deal with an aircraft incident/accident. "The High and the Mighty" concentrates on the human dynamics of a flight crew and their maintenance base trying to cope with a mechanical problem en route over the longest single over-the-ocean route in the world: Honolulu to San Francisco. It is as dramatic and technically accurate as you could possibly get. In fact, "The High and the Mighty" had all the elements of the recent Jan. 31, 2000 Alaska Airlines crash northwest of Los Angeles. "Fate is the Hunter" meticulously examines the post accident phase of aircraft crash investigation. It is almost like a Hitchock movie in terms of suspense. I don't think this movie is available either and that is a shame since there is so much junk out there that is. Glenn Ford is the star of this movie. The exciting conclusion of "The High and the Mighty" stays with you forever...much like the ending of the movie "The Spirit of St. Louis" which starred James Stewart (also a great movie and is available). "The High and the Mighty" is a true aviator's movie...it has the feel and touch of a veteran pilot at the yoke, Ernest K. Gann. All of us down on the ground here can only hope and pray that the powers to be let this great, great American film out of the hanger and let her fly again....soon.
Rating:
Summary: Predecessor of the 'Airport' movies
Review: The High and the Mighty was ahead of its time in 1954. John Wayne was well cast as 'an ancient pelican' whose leadership is tested in making the right decisions to land a troubled aircraft safely. Diminti Tionkin's haunting theme masterfully scores the drama. This is my all-time favorite movie, I can't watch it enough!
Rating:
Summary: the high and the mighty
Review: this is one of the finest movies I have ever seen made by john wayne next to true grit.
Rating:
Summary: The "pioneer" air disaster film
Review: Undoubtedly, John Wayne's finest acting performance. Set on-board a DC-4 flying enroute from Honolulu to San Francisco, this "air disaster" film has everything: passenger gunfights, failed engines, fuel leaks, to squabbles in the cockpit bewteen the pilots. Couple this with a fantastic musical score, and you have a film whose plot has been copied, unsucessfully, for the last 30 years.
Rating:
Summary: The Frist Airport Movie (1954)
Review: I first saw this movie in 1954 as a high school student and movie buff. I later classified the High and the Mighty as the first in the series of airport movies ( the only one with props instead of jets) because each passenger and crew member had a story to tell and live out. The music was wonderful as was the story line and acting. You will enjoy this film and don't be surprised if you become a whistler. This is the only movie that I have not been able to acquire for my collect. Sure will be glad when it is released.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Duke's best
Review: Count me among those who consider "The High and Mighty" one of the Duke's finest pictures. I first saw it when I was 13 years old and it has stayed with me ever since. I have been waiting and wondering when this movie would be released on DVD. I had fears it had been destroyed before it could be saved. I will certainly buy it when it is released on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Angelic Music for an Ailing Dc-6
Review: Dimitri Tompkin's score, which plays away while the film's forward credits scroll slowly (not slowly enough), is well worth a look at "High & Mighty". It's hard to believe that any film's music could have edged out Leonard Bernstein's score for "On the Waterfront" on that year (1954). Yet H&M did. Look out too for the legendary phrase "Thanks, I needed that", issued by John Wayne's character when he slaps Robert Stack's out of a panic attack. Rudolph Martinez, Newfields, NH
Rating:
Summary: WHAT IS UP ....?
Review: ...I SAW THIS MOVIE 45 YRS AGO WHILE MY DAD WAS FLYING CONNIES FOR TWA. SINCE THEN DISPATCHED FOR TWA AND CONTROLLED FOR THE FAA AND AM STILL CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO SEE THIS ON DVD. THE ACCURACY FROM WHAT LITTLE I CAN REMEMBER IS UNSURPASSED BY TODAYS MOVIES. WHEN IS THIS TORTURE GOING TO END . SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME THE WAIT IS OVER AND A RELEASE DATE IS AT HAND.
Rating:
Summary: Good old days
Review: I can't believe "they" sat on this film for so long. I flew the same route as this movie many times, that view of the ILS was awesome. I guess this film was the first "airport" movie, but if you put yourself in the left seat it was more than a movie, it was real. I can't wait to see it again, I think it was 1954 when I saw it last. Flying back then was alot more exciting than the jets of today....
Rating:
Summary: Hymyty is coming to home video!
Review: This isn't a review as it is an announcement of hope. On July 8, 2004 Paramount and Batjac Productions announced a deal for bringing to home video several John Wayne films not seen in years. THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (1954) and ISLAND IN THE SKY (1953) head the list. Paramount will start releasing these films (and several others) in Spring of 2005.
To read a reprint of the Paramount press release go to this link: http://www.jwaynefan.com/paramount.html also sign up for the mailing list (http://www.jwaynefan.com/newsletter.html) so you will be notified of further developments.
| 
