Gathering of Eagles, A (1963) - full review!
Directed by Delbert Mann (Marty (1955)), with a story by producer Sy Bartlett that was adapted by Robert Pirosh (Battleground (1949)), the film received an Academy Award nomination for its Sound Effects - lots of hardware on display including the requisite takeoffs and a dangerous landing.
"It's lonely at the top" is the movie cliché that's recycled in this drama; in fact, its story is so much like Strategic Air Command (1955) with James Stewart and June Allyson, and even other earlier wartime dramas like The Dawn Patrol (1938), Command Decision (1948) and Bartlett's own Twelve O'Clock High (1949), that one might be tempted to write this one off (which would be a mistake). Like those other military leadership stories, it works, due (in no small part) to its lead actor's performance. In this one, Rock Hudson plays Colonel Jim Caldwell, who's just been assigned the Wing Commander of a SAC base that's just failed a surprise operational review. Dubbed an ORI, it's an extensive simulated test of base readiness. A failure to respond to such an alert with maximum efficiency could mean disaster for the United States, hence (according to the film) there were 51 bases complete with B-52 bombers, Titan missiles, and appropriate staff established and trained to meet any threat.
The plot's first ninety minutes establishes the difficulty Caldwell has in setting new, even higher standards of performance for those under his command. These lead to clashes and conflicts with (or firings of) virtually everyone else including the likeable vice commander - his former Korean War veteran friend Colonel Hollis Farr (Rod Taylor), an aging base commander that drinks to better handle the stress - Colonel Bill Fowler (Barry Sullivan), the hands-on maintenance officer who doesn't delegate responsibility very well - Colonel Joe Garcia (Henry Silva), and his British wife Victoria (Mary Peach), who receives comfort from Fowler's spouse Evelyn (Leora Dana). Caldwell does manage to befriend a handball-playing maintenance Sergeant Banning (Robert Lansing, who looks remarkably like Steve McQueen); otherwise it's tough sledding for the hard-nosed first time commander. Others in the cast include Richard Anderson and Leif Erickson; future Best Actress Oscar winner Louise Fletcher appears (uncredited, in a hospital no less) as a crewman's wife near the end of the movie.
The story's final 30 minutes, which begins with Caldwell inspiring an attempted suicide wounded now former Colonel Fowler, is intended to demonstrate the results of the commander's efforts. Once surprise inspector General 'Happy Jack' Kirby (Kevin McCarthy) arrives to conduct a follow-up ORI, everyone pulls together to pass the test with flying colors.
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