DakotaDave Posted March 15, 2014 Share #1 Posted March 15, 2014 Just got finished watching "12 o'clock High" on TCM, my favorite air war movie bar none, for those interested here's a link to an interesting article about the story behind the story, enjoy. http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/January%202011/0111high.aspx DakotaDave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted March 15, 2014 Share #2 Posted March 15, 2014 Thanks Dave. I enjoyed that. 12 o'clock High is also one of my favorite movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted March 16, 2014 Share #3 Posted March 16, 2014 Thanks for posting the link. That is one of the most thorough accounts of Twelve O'clock High that I have ever seen. And I confirm that the film was shown during junior officer training in the 1970's. The conflicts of command have rarely been shown with such accuracy in any other film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fstop61 Posted March 30, 2014 Share #4 Posted March 30, 2014 Great story thanks for the link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadet Posted April 12, 2014 Share #5 Posted April 12, 2014 This is one of my favorite movies. It has been used for years as a leadership tool in the Navy. IMO the real lessons of this film are often over looked though. The standard interpretation in military leadership classes is a demonstration of poor leadership styles (the first commander) and strong leadership styles (Savage), with value judgments placed on each. If you watch the movie carefully though, there are twists that don't support these black and white distinctions. The twists are typically glossed over in these classes. The first commander is universally acknowledged to be a good man and officer, who has obviously done many things right in his career to get where he is. Nobody wants to relieve him, but it must be done in the name of mission accomplishment. After he leaves the bomb group, instead of being sent home in shame, he takes on a position of great responsibility on the staff of the officer that relieved him (twist). Savage then takes over and increases effectiveness through iron discipline. In the end though, he falls apart as well, only in a different way. Paralyzed with anxiety to the point where he can't board his aircraft for a mission (twist). The first commander led the group as far as his human endurance allowed him to before his leaders wisely took him offline. Savage took over and did the same thing. They both moved the ball forward though. The leadership lesson: war is one of the most gut wrenching and awful experiences imaginable, and sometimes the mission requirements exceed the human endurance of any one leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted April 12, 2014 Share #6 Posted April 12, 2014 You know it has to be one of my favorite all time movies. When I did my restoration I was looking for the right serial number. I did combos of wife's and children's birthdays, my anniversary etc.Then it hit me, the perfect number - the serial number on General Savages's.staff car in Twelve O'Clock High! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted April 12, 2014 Share #7 Posted April 12, 2014 When I went through Leadership Classes during my Senior NCO Courses, one of the works used was the Hersey&Blanchard Situational Leadership Papers, which featured the movie... Funny as I was the only one in class who had ever heard about it and knew exactly what it was about... Scored a few extra points for that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbtcoveralls Posted April 12, 2014 Share #8 Posted April 12, 2014 IMHO the movie is much better than the book. Gregory Peck is just astonishing. His finest performance. Tom Bowers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted April 26, 2014 Share #9 Posted April 26, 2014 One of my favorite movies. As a WWII film, and as an example of cinema, it does everything right. I espcailly like the way the film begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted May 7, 2014 Share #10 Posted May 7, 2014 Agree! Great flick! One that got me interested in collecting WW2 aviation. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17thairborne Posted May 8, 2014 Share #11 Posted May 8, 2014 Its one movie that I can watch every week and not get tired of it. Most others are not that way for me. hard to explain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
17thairborne Posted May 8, 2014 Share #12 Posted May 8, 2014 You know it has to be one of my favorite all time movies. When I did my restoration I was looking for the right serial number. I did combos of wife's and children's birthdays, my anniversary etc.Then it hit me, the perfect number - the serial number on General Savages's.staff car in Twelve O'Clock High! phpwr3UlDAM.jpg Awesome idea. Thanks for posting..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted May 8, 2014 Share #13 Posted May 8, 2014 I have always enjoyed this movie. I remember watching this movie while attending USN leadership training in the 1980s. Kadet, you did a great synopsis of the valuable leadership traits that are portrayed in the movie. For once Hollywood got it right!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted May 8, 2014 Share #14 Posted May 8, 2014 Always one of my favorites, going back to its original release. I remember one of my classmates telling us his father's B-17 was one of those shown going down. Thanks for the most informative link to the back story! Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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