The High and the Mighty homage 1954
by David Lee Guss
Title
The High and the Mighty homage 1954
Artist
David Lee Guss
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Maverick (and criminally underrated) director William A. Wellman partnered with John Wayne's Batjac Productions on five films. Their most successful was the airplane disaster film "The High and the Mighty" (1964) which was the template for future disaster pictures.
Wellman had directed the WW1 aviation film "Wings" (1928), the first picture to win an Academy Award. "Wings" has spectacular aerial footage of dog fights set against billowing clouds.
"High" was Duke's first film in Cinemascope, the wide screen process developed by Darryl F. Zanuck to lure patrons away from their TV's back into theaters.
Duke as producer wanted to cast Robert Cummings as his co-pilot but was overruled by Wellman who choose Robert Stack.
Spencer Tracy had been offered the lead but turned it down. Tracy had become lazy after having been treated like a god at MGM for nearly 20 years. He heard about the strict disciplinarian Wellman. Moreover, Spencer as a Democrat couldn't abide by the blacklisting tactics of Duke's Batjac company.
Joan Crawford, Ida Lupino, Barbara Stanwyck. Ginger Rogers and Dorothy McGuire also turned their backs on being cast.
The film only became unavailable on DVD in 2005. It's score won an Oscar for Dimitri Tiomkin (1894-1979) with the theme song becoming a popular tune.
Claire Trevor made her last appearance with Duke.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atP-C5vKJ2Q
Duke's long time cinematographer William H. Clothier did the aerial photography while Archie Stout (1886-1973), who had first worked with Duke in 1934, hung up his director of photography spurs with this production.
"The High & the Mighty" was parodied by "Airplane" (1980) which makes it difficult to watch today with a straight face.
Duke comes off best since he has the fewest lines since becoming a leading man.
@2009 David Lee Guss Film homage, JW, director William Wellman, The High & the Mighty, 1954, my front yard, bird in flight, Casa Grande, AZ, 2001
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April 19th, 2013
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