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''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II, including a thinly disguised version of the notorious Black Thursday strike against Schweinfurt. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King (uncredited) and Beirne Lay, Jr. from the 1948 novel ''12 O'Clock High'', also by Bartlett and Lay. It was directed by King and stars Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Millard Mitchell and Dean Jagger. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two: Dean Jagger for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Thomas T. Moulton for Best Sound Recording.〔("The 22nd Academy Awards (1950) Nominees and Winners." ) ''oscars.org.'' Retrieved: August 18, 2011.〕 In 1998, ''Twelve O'Clock High'' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". ==Plot== In 1949, former U.S. Army Air Force officer Harvey Stovall (Dean Jagger) is vacationing in Great Britain when he spots a familiar Toby Jug in an antique shop window and is told that it came from Archbury, where Stovall served with the 918th Bomb Group during World War II. Convinced that it is the same jug, he buys it and journeys to the now-abandoned airfield. Stovall then remembers the events of 1942, having recently arrived and been thrown into action, the 918th has gained the reputation of a "hard luck group" suffering from poor morale. One reason is the strategy of daylight precision bombing of German targets and the corresponding losses to anti-aircraft fire and enemy aircraft. In addition, their commander, Colonel Keith Davenport (Gary Merrill), has become too close to his men to instill adequate discipline. When he is ordered to fly a mission at low altitude to increase accuracy, Davenport rushes to headquarters and confronts his friend, Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. His behavior prompts Savage to go to the commanding general of VIII Bomber Command (Millard Mitchell) and tell him that that he feels Davenport may not be fit to command. Following a disastrous mission in which the 918th loses seven bombers, General Pritchard relieves Davenport of command and the 918th is given to Savage. In order to address discipline problems, Savage deals with everyone so harshly that the men begin to detest him. Savage fires Lieutenant Colonel Ben Gately (Hugh Marlowe), the popular Air Exec, busting him down to an airplane commander; and replaces him with the rough-and-ready Major Cobb, a superb combat leader. Upset by the contrast of Savage's stern leadership with Davenport's easygoing ways, all of the 918th's pilots apply for transfers. Savage asks the Group Adjutant, Major Stovall, to delay processing their applications to buy him some time. A former pilot during World War I and an attorney in civilian life between the wars, Stovall knows how to use organizational "red tape” to his advantage. When the 918th resumes combat flying with greater success after hasty refresher training, the men begin to change their minds, especially after Savage leads them on a mission in which the 918th is the only group to bomb the target and have all of the aircraft return safely. Savage also acquires a surrogate son in Lieutenant Jesse Bishop (Robert Patten), a Medal of Honor recipient who is Savage's eyes and ears among the combat aircrews. Word gets around that Pritchard personally reprimanded Savage for his claim of "radio malfunction" as an excuse to ignore the recall order. But rather than incurring any form of punishment for this disobedience, Savage persuades Pritchard to recommend the group for a Distinguished Unit Citation. When the Inspector General arrives to investigate the unrest, Savage is packing ready to go, but the pilots withdraw their requests to transfer. Savage also softens his attitude towards the men as he becomes more closely involved with them. At the same time, Savage and Gately are reconciled after the general learns Gately flew three missions with a fractured vertebra he received when he was forced to ditch his bomber, the ''Leper Colony'', in the English Channel due to battle damage. With enemy resistance intensifying as the air war advances deeper into Germany, missions become longer and riskier, and many of Savage's best men are shot down or killed. Pritchard tries to get Savage to return to a staff job at VIII Bomber Command, but Savage refuses because he feels that the 918th is not ready to stand up without him yet. Reluctantly, Pritchard leaves him in command. However, after a particularly brutal mission, Savage's iron will cracks. On the day of the first daylight bombing raid on Berlin, he finds himself physically unable to haul himself up into his B-17. The redeemed Ben Gately takes his place as lead pilot and strike commander for the mission. While waiting for the group’s return, Savage becomes catatonic. Only as they return to Archbury does Savage regain his composure and fall asleep. The story then returns to 1949 and Stovall pedals away on his bicycle. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Twelve O'Clock High」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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