Command Decision

[ken123]

Is one he** of a war film, starring Clarl Gable, Walter Pidgeon, John Hodiak, and Van Johnson, among others. Would anyone like to discuss this film and perhaps compare it with someone other film, say " Twelve O' Clock High " ?

[moira finnie]

Ken, Command Decision (1948) was okay, though I thought it suffered at the hands of the airless overproduction by MGM at the time, and the director Sam Wood and the studio, which plastered "important" and "significant" labels on every utterance, never seemed to remember that this highly successful play was a motion picture, not a lecture. It was kind of a sad movie, and not just because of the subject matter, but also because it revealed how difficult it was for MGM at that stage to create the kind of vibrant films it had once made, (especially in the early '30s). Hardworking actors such as Charles Bickford, Ray Collins, Gable, and John Hodiak were good in their parts, and almost brought off the story, but couldn't break through the stultifying theatricality of the piece. I thought that the only breeze of fresh air almost came out of the Cameron Mitchell character.

I wonder if the gathering political gloom of post WWII Hollywood, the right wing of which was led by Sam Wood among others, might've contributed to the enervated quality of the film. Also, though William Wyler with Best Years of Our Lives (1946), William Wellman with Battleground (1949) and Henry King with 12 O'Clock High (1949) would prove otherwise, the war as subject matter could seem almost "old hat" by the time of this production.

I also wonder if Clark Gable was just too exhausted from his own real wartime experiences (and his private grief over Carole Lombard's death), to have much, if any impact on the proceedings. Besides, Gable's screen persona of tough-talking yet feeling macho man was pretty much set in MGM granite by that time in his career, and the actor didn't have the intellectual energy to wrest his career from this all too comfortable berth.

To me, however, there's no comparison of this film with the depth of performances, emotions, and marvelous production of Twelve O'Clock High, which still has an emotional punch after 60 years. As a matter of fact, the depiction of the corrosive effect of combat on human beings who engage in it is all too sadly relevant. No comparison

Btw, Command Decision is on TCM this Fri., July 13th at 10:00 AM EDT.

[ken123]

Moira,
Being a stubborn Mick, er I mean Irishman, I still prefer Command Decesion, in spit of its being directed by rightwinger Sam Wood, one of the founders of The Motion Picture Alliance, whose main objective was to get subversives out of the Industry.

[patful]

I love both films, but I prefer "Command Decision" for showing congressional meddling in the war effort. Hey, where are those congressmen when we need them?

[mrsl]

Au Contraire, Patful. Those congressmen were like those of today, meddling to the point of keeping the war going to continue to line their own pockets. Remember they wanted the planes to be built because they figured our planes would be able to find a way to overcome them at a later date simply because it was too expensive to replace our planes being lost in the attempts to bomb the factories making the planes.

Money, money, money, look at how everything has risen in price lately, not only gas now, but every item in the grocery store. Halts on immigration hasn't even really started, but already we're feeling the price gouging in fruits and vegetables, but the growers will claim its the weather - either late frosts, or early thaws, whichever they agree on.

We can't win!

Anne

[patful]

Anne, the last line in my previous post was referring more to the idiots that wanted to avoid WWII altogether, and once it started, an early peace with Germany and Japan. While they were completely wrong, I think opposition is a relatively good thing. Without it you end up in Iraq.

[ken123]

In Command Decision Edward Arnold portrayed a pompous Congressman who questioned Commander Dennis's ( Gable ) judgment. In the previous two days Gable had sent 1,000 American boys to their death, in a very risky mission,, by portraying Arnold as pompous AND being " put in his place " ( don't question the military ) by a touring fellow Congressman, played by Moroni Olsen, and latter by Gable aide Van Johnson, in a private conversation with Gable, we are seeing that the film is pulling it's punches, in regard to it's " Anti - War theme, but to me the entire film, in spite of its flaws rings true and some of the dialogue is great and are the word that you hear from pro - war people today. I wish that more Congesspeople who have question the war BEFORE it started. No, to anyone who voted for the war and nows wants to be President !

[pktrekgirl]

I've not seen TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH...but I have seen COMMAND DECISION and think it is an excellent film.

Personally, I liked it, and thought it really illustrated quite well that war is most certainly NOT a game - men die.

[MikeBSG]

I saw about the last half-hour to 45 minutes of "Command Decision." What a great cast.

I wonder, though, is this movie supposed to be a "roman a clef" about the Eighth Air Force? Is Clark Gable's character supposed to be Curtis LeMay? (Or at least inspired by Curtis LeMay?)

[ken123]

I have always thought that Gable was supposed to be LeMay, but a little more human.

[movieman1957]

I watchedi t again this weekend. Always thought it MGM's "12 O'Clock High." Gable and Pidgeon are really good I thought. The argument in the post-dinner scene I thought was really tense and well done.

The miniatures in the flying scenes aren't all that great but it uses some stock footage to good effect.

Good film well worth your time.