The High and the Mighty

Audience Reviews

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Theodore P Apr 15, 2019 Loved this movie since I was a kid, although my dad didn't care much for it because he was an airline pilot. He saw too many flaws in the technical aspects. I still love the performance by all of the cast. See more

Hermione M Mar 3, 2019 The original and archetype of the airline disaster movie genre. Crudely done by more modern standards but all the elements are here See more

Anakin W Feb 20, 2019 One disaster after another happens on this trans-Pacific flight. You have the pilot who loses his nerve! The washed-up co-pilot. The milquetoast flight engineer. The young hot shot second officer. And a cabin full of passengers with every range of problems and personalities there could possibly be. Here you have the Duke in a role he didn't want, and a movie with the title song that became Duke's theme. What else could any John Wayne fan want? It's all here, and then some. The High and the Mighty was one of the first (and most profitable) entries in the "terror in the sky" genre. Everyone aboard has so much personal baggage, it's amazing the plane can even get off the ground. Still I found these oddball character studies Wonderfully entertaining. The High and the Mighty is a weird film. I like it . I never can get enough of John Wayne and he is good here. This film has more than enough fine moments generated by a cast of familiar faces to keep me interest. See more

Feb 1, 2019 The best thrilling movie ever made!

Luke M Mar 16, 2018 A surprisingly intimate and absorbing film that is easy for the cynical to dislike. Most of the film takes place inside an aircraft, yet it feels like a big movie. John Wayne has little dialogue and does not have much to do till the end of the film but his physical presence helps keep our attention. Exposition scenes in which the characters relate their back stories may have been accepted practice in 1954 but now seems banal. Characters which have since become stereotypes date the film. On the plus side the original print has been restored to its full CinemaScope glory and Dimitri Tiomkin's glorious, Oscar winning score adds pace and tension. Lush strings and haunting melody give the final landing of the aircraft an unexpected emotional resonance. Combined with the landing lights appearing like a cross this scene takes on an almost religious quality. There are some nice small touches throughout the film, such as when we see the broken wing of a balsa wood model plane, and Wayne placing a blanket over a small child whilst announcing the worst possible news to the passengers. The film's influence can be seen in later disaster movies and particularly in the spoof 'Airplane', and perhaps because of this it is easy to make fun of some of its plot devices and characterizations, which now feel well worn. However, 'The High and the Mighty' is worth watching just to hear Tiomkin's magnificent score. See more

Luke L Feb 14, 2017 Overlong disaster in the air flick. It was possibly the first of its kind. Despite that it is only occasionally interesting. The characters soap opera lives seem forced. Jan Sterling probably comes off best. See more

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The High and the Mighty

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