The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
- Gary Cooper: Col. Billy Mitchell
- Charles Bickford: Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
- Ralph Bellamy Frank R. Reid
- Rod Steiger: Maj. Allan Guillion
- Elizabeth Montgomery: Margaret Lansdowne
- Fred Clark: Col. Moreland
- James Daly: Lt. Col. Herbert White
- Jack Lord: Lt. Cmdr. Zachary Lansdowne
- Peter Graves: Capt. Bob Elliott
- Darren McGavin: Capt. Russ Peters
- Robert F. Simon: Adm. salary
Damn silence is an American film biography of Billy Mitchell by director Otto Preminger in 1955 with Gary Cooper in the lead role.
Action
Billy Mitchell tried in 1921 to prove the effectiveness of the fledgling U.S. Air Force with the sinking of a former German battleship from World War II. Without knowledge of the Army and Navy leadership, the bombs are equipped with twice the explosive force. The test succeeds, the ship is sunk.
Being alone in this matter will entail a penalty. He is demoted and transferred to Texas. During this time there will be more serious incidents. His friend Zachary Lansdowne died in 1925 in the crash of an airship. The sad news he has to tell his widow. Six more aircraft crash due to poor maintenance. Mitchell calls a press conference and criticized the army publicly. He is brought before a court-martial.
His lawyer Frank Reid gets to the president to help him. The process is suspended. The military urges him a paper to sign, so that he may withdraw his criticism and save his career. Mitchell refuses to sign. The process continues. Several witnesses, including the widow of Lansdowne, confirm his criticism before the Court. Under cross-examination his disobedience and his fantasy about a future Japanese attack on Hawaii are denounced.
The court finds him guilty. The public sees him as a hero who has set itself against a superior military machine to fight back. Mitchell has achieved his goal. The population is aware of the precarious condition of the Air Force. Upon leaving the courtroom him greet his fellow aviators.
Reviews
" One with a secure sense of staged voltage for a factual report from the U.S. military history. Worn by good performers, the film slips occasionally too much from the Lurid; some phrases about conscience and obedience are likely to be borne by the synchronization. "
Background
The screenplay, to the along- rubbed Ben Hecht, Dalton Trumbo and Michael Wilson, based on a story by Emmet Lavery and Milton Sperling, which was based on a true incident in the life of Billy Mitchell.
For lead actor Gary Cooper after it was Secret Service, The Devil's Brigade and Wild embers fourth collaboration with producer Milton Sperling and the only film with director Otto Preminger. For the first time since counterintelligence Cooper turned back in the U.S.. The family of Billy Mitchell sat in vain for James Cagney as a lead actor.
Warner Bros. brought the Cinemascope film in 1956 in the West German cinemas. In this modern common Gary Cooper was dubbed the voice of Heinz Engelmann.