100%Tomatometer 8 Reviews 61%Audience Score 500+ Ratings U.S. Col. Billy Mitchell (Gary Cooper) is a decorated World War I veteran airman frustrated by the military's mistreatment of the flying program. With military brass and many in the government still favoring battleships, Mitchell sees funding cut to aviation, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of pilots. When Mitchell publicly accuses his superiors of ineptitude, he is court-martialed. At the trial, Congressman Frank Reid (Ralph Bellamy) advises Mitchell, who faces Maj. Guillion (Rod Steiger). Read MoreRead Less
Critics Reviews
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Geoff Andrew Time Out With Cooper as the crusading officer, one is never in any doubt as to the correctness and sincerity of his views (Mitchell was posthumously rehabilitated in 1947), while Steiger puts in one of his inimitably flashy performances as the prosecuting attorney Feb 5, 2018 Full Review Variety Staff Variety The picture is a real kick in the shins for the cult of blind military obedience and the lesson which is laid on the line relates to Pearl Harbor. Oct 23, 2007 Full Review Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap A quintessential Gary Cooper role in this portrait of the forgotten father of modern aviation, the sort of picture Golden Age Hollywood churned out with surprising speed and skill. Rated: 4/5 Oct 5, 2020 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Though not one of Preminger's stronger films, it's still worth seeing this fact-based courtroom drama starring Gary Cooper. Rated: B- Aug 24, 2012 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion The only certainty that remains is the need to ask questions Sep 5, 2009 Full Review Film4 Away from the courtroom, the film is less riveting, though Cooper is consistently impressive. Oct 23, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews
Audience Reviews
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Steve D Too slow to really work. Rated 3/5 Stars •Rated 3 out of 5 stars06/29/23 Full Review van h This is a classic. Well acted and follows the true story fairly well. This was much less biased than Judgement at Nuremberg. A must see. Rated 5/5 Stars •Rated 5 out of 5 stars03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The core of the movie, revolving around the courtroom drama and the one man crusade to improve the air service, is mildly entertaining with good pacing. However, when it comes to some of the histrionics, like the foretelling of the attack on pearl harbor or ultra sonic air speed, the movie becomes absurd and shows its true propaganda colors. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member A film worth adding to your collection. Rated 4/5 Stars •Rated 4 out of 5 stars02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member There is not much to dislike about this movie, great cast and director, excellent screenplay, superb production. I did find it slow moving at times, and somehow this film doesn't soar to the greatness it should have. Rated 3/5 Stars •Rated 3 out of 5 stars01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member THE COURT-MARTIAL OF BILLY MITCHELL (1955) Rated 4/5 Stars •Rated 4 out of 5 stars02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating
Otto Preminger Director Gary Cooper Col. Billy Mitchell Charles Bickford Gen. Jimmy Guthrie Ralph Bellamy Congressman Frank R. Reid Rod Steiger Maj. Allan Guillion Elizabeth Montgomery Margaret Lansdowne
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The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
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Movie Info
SynopsisU.S. Col. Billy Mitchell (Gary Cooper) is a decorated World War I veteran airman frustrated by the military's mistreatment of the flying program. With military brass and many in the government still favoring battleships, Mitchell sees funding cut to aviation, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of pilots. When Mitchell publicly accuses his superiors of ineptitude, he is court-martialed. At the trial, Congressman Frank Reid (Ralph Bellamy) advises Mitchell, who faces Maj. Guillion (Rod Steiger).
Overall, for historical accuracy "The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell" is solid on the central story and fictional on the margins. This DVD transfer, however, borders on dreadful. Colors are washed out and voice levels shift slightly over and over. But it's well worth watching.
The court-martial began in early November and lasted for seven weeks. The youngest of the 13 judges was Major General Douglas MacArthur, who later described the order to sit on Mitchell's court-martial as "one of the most distasteful orders I ever received." Of the thirteen judges, (Charles Pelot Summerall, William S.
Gary Cooper's Billy Mitchell, despite deviations from the real story, is a remarkably accurate picture of a dedicated officer with unrestrained hubris whose public and volatile denunciations of Army and Navy superiors for numerous fatal crashes led to his then highly-publicized court-martial.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell is a 1955 American CinemaScope biographical drama film directed by Otto Preminger, and starring Gary Cooper and co-starring Charles Bickford, Ralph Bellamy, Rod Steiger, and Elizabeth Montgomery in her film debut.
Afterward, Mitchell made an inspection tour of the Pacific and the Far East, after which he made his famous prediction that the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor on a Sunday morning.
His outspoken advocacy resulted in the famous Court Martial of Billy Mitchell, in which a military court consisting of twelve senior Army officers found Mitchell guilty of insubordination. He was reduced in rank and suspended for five years without pay.
A court judge. eventually ruled to dismiss Mitchell's case against Regular Show. and threw the claims out of court. after finding the portrayal to be in line with the First Amendment.
In 1946 Congress posthumously awarded Billy Mitchell a Special Congressional Medal of Honor (the only one of its kind) for his pioneer work in American military aviation.
There the current record-holder is Robbie Lakeman, who achieved a score of 1,272,800 in 2021. Update: This article has been updated to further clarify that Billy Mitchell's stores were restored on Twin Galaxies' historical record database, not the modern leaderboards.
Mitchell was suspended for five years without pay; he elected to resign. Years later the new Air Force would look at the court-marital to determine if its hero could be exonerated. But the facts were clear: Mitchell was guilty, even if for a worthy cause.
It is a mix never seen before in an Air Force court-martial. The only other Air Force general to have been court-martialed, Maj. Gen. William Cooley, was convicted of abusive sexual contact in 2022 by military judge alone.
After he was left without either of his parents, teenager Jamie went to live with his uncle Billy. However, he wasn't treated well in his care, and Billy would often be violent towards him. He was taken in by godfather and distant relative Phil, when he found out about Billy's cruelty and even witnessed an attack.
Billy Mitchell died on February 19, 1936, and was buried at the Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After his death, President Roosevelt elevated him to the rank of Major General.
The extended Mitchell family is introduced in 1998; Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder) is taken in by Phil as he flees from his abusive guardian and uncle, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick). Billy, Phil and Grant's cousin, moves to Walford as well, and becomes a lackey for the Mitchell brothers and their schemes.
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