Strategic Air Command (1955)

SAC was a hit mainly due to the sensational airplane footage. Not a war movie, not even an action picture, it's a made-up tale about a St. Louis Cardinals third baseman who is ordered back to service and put into the SAC. Stewart is the veteran hot-corner man who must leave the game of baseball when he's called into the Air Force (this actually did happen to superstar Ted Williams who was drafted to serve as a pilot during the Korean War after already having served in WWII, and he was always bitter at sacrificing his baseball career). Like Williams, Stewart already put in his time during the battles of WWII and thinks that the authorities have singled him out because he's a star. He'd much prefer hot grounders to hot jets and makes known his feelings loud and clear. Nevertheless, he must do his country's bidding and acquiesces. He is an experienced pilot and they need men like him to handle the B-36 and the new jet-powered B-47, bombers which have the capability of delivering the atomic bomb wherever the President orders it to be dropped.

Stewart's wife is Allyson (as in The Glenn Miller Story, 1954, and The Stratton Story, 1949) and she is expecting a child. Once in the service, Stewart settles into his job and grows to respect Lovejoy, a tough but fair commanding officer who combines a gruff manner with a soft side. There is no question that the SAC is important to the nation's security and Stewart soon comes to appreciate that, despite Allyson's whining that her husband's job is keeping him from her. A fairly sappy story, totally contrived, with dialogue they wouldn't dare use on TV soap operas. What makes it so much fun to watch is the spectacular aerial scenes as shot by Thomas Tutwiler with Paul Mantz at the plane's controls. Mantz, who was one of the best movie pilots ever, died in a crash while making Flight of the Phoenix. His long-time partner was Frank Tallman (their company was TallMantz Aviation) who also died in a light-plane accident. Due to the nature of the movie, the SAC lent support and planes to the production so if there was anything at all that might have had a negative aspect, it was never seen. This was more of a staged documentary than anything else and served to quash the complaints of the taxpayers who were carping about the billions spent on defense.

Performer, Character

James Stewart, Lt. Col. Robert "Dutch" Holland

June Allyson, Sally Holland

Frank Lovejoy, Gen. Ennis C. Hawkes

Barry Sullivan, Lt. Col. Rocky Samford

Alex Nicol, Ike Knowland

Bruce Bennett, Gen. Espy

Jay C. Flippen, Doyle

James Millican, Gen. Castle

James Bell, Rev. Thorne Richard

Production Credits

Producer, Samuel J. Briskin

Director, Anthony Mann

Screenwriter, Valentine Davies and Beirne Lay Jr. Based on his story

Editor, Eda Warren

Cinematographer, William Daniels and Tom Tutwiler

Music Director and Composer, Victor Young