The High and the Mighty

1954
U
2h 27m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

6.8K

YOUR RATING

John Wayne, Jan Sterling, David Brian, Laraine Day, Phil Harris, Robert Newton, Robert Stack, and Claire Trevor in The High and the Mighty (1954)

Theatrical Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures

Play trailer2:53

1 Video

40 Photos

Action Adventure Drama Thriller

When a commercial airliner develops engine problems on a trans-Pacific flight and the pilot loses his nerve, it is up to the washed-up co-pilot Dan Roman to bring the plane in safely.When a commercial airliner develops engine problems on a trans-Pacific flight and the pilot loses his nerve, it is up to the washed-up co-pilot Dan Roman to bring the plane in safely.When a commercial airliner develops engine problems on a trans-Pacific flight and the pilot loses his nerve, it is up to the washed-up co-pilot Dan Roman to bring the plane in safely.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

6.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 5 wins & 6 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:53

The High And Mighty

Photos40

+ 33

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Ernest Gann's novel clearly indicates that the character of Sally McKee has resorted to prostitution in order to survive. The film version, made at the height of Hollywood censorship, was unable to explicitly state this; however, Gann slyly managed to insinuate the information during Sally's entrance, wherein two sailors at the Honolulu airport recognize her and pointedly remark, "Hey, look! Remember?"

Goofs
Near the end of the film, Air Traffic Control clears the aircraft to land on "runway 39" This is impossible. Runways are numbered are within 10 degrees of their actual magnetic heading, and since there are only 360 degrees on the compass, the highest runway number possible is "runway 36".

Quotes
Alsop: She may be put together with paste and flour, but that woman has something. What would you say it was?
Miss Spalding: Practice. Plenty of practice.

Alternate versions
The song "The High and the Mighty" (with lyrics) does not appear in the original 1954 release of this film. However, the studio wanted the hugely popular, chart-topping song to be nominated for the Best Song Academy Award that year. According to AMPAS regulations, the song could not be nominated because it was no officially sung in the film, even if would be heard elsewhere. To satisfy these regulations, a version was released towards the tail-end of 1954 for a few nights only with the song inserted into an Exit Music. The Academy then decided to give the song a nomination on the basis of these screenings. The song lost to "Three Coins in a Fountain".

Connections
Edited into The FBI Story (1959)

Soundtracks
The High and the Mighty
Music by Dimitri Tiomkin
Lyrics by Ned Washington
Whistled by Muzzy Marcellino

User reviews195

Review

Featured review

I've Got it

I was just sitting in my barrack's room watching this film today and I am so lucky to have it. It is a priceless treasure and it is what a great film is all about. It is a classic and I wish that everyone could see it. I cannot believe how selfish and wrong John Wayne's family are to keep the public from seeing this classic. SHAME ON THEM!!!!They are hiding a priceless treasure from all of us. THIS IS JOHN WAYNE"S FINEST FILM EVER!!!!He won an Academy Award for True Grit and should have won one for his portrayal of Dan Roman in this film. In 1988, they re-released The Manchurian Candidate so that a whole new generation of film goers could enjoy its greatness. They should do the same to this film. They should get the finest film technicians available to do a restoration of it and release it so that people today could see what a great film is. Look at the movies they come out with today, all the filth and violence and filty words they use. It is a disgrace. All the actors in this film do an amazing job.