# Command Decision (film)

Command Decision is a 1949 war film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, Van Johnson, and Brian Donlevy, and directed by Sam Wood, based on the 1948 stage play of the same name written by William Wister Haines, which he based on his best-selling 1947 novel. The screenplay for the film was written by George Froeschel and William R. Laidlaw. Haines' play ran on Broadway for almost a year beginning in October 1947.
Although portraying the strategic bombing of Nazi Germany in World War II, the main action takes place almost entirely within the confines of the headquarters of its protagonist. Depicting the political infighting of conducting a major war effort, the film's major theme is the emotional toll on commanders from ordering missions that result in high casualties, the effects of sustained combat on all concerned, and the nature of accountability for its consequences.

## Plot

In 1943, at the English Ministry of Information, war correspondents Elmer "Brockie" Brockhurst and James Carwood of United News attend the daily bombing mission briefings. The RAF representative announces light losses, but the PRO of the Eighth Air Force causes grumbling with his report of a record 48 bombers lost bombing an undisclosed industrial target. Carwood questions whether any target is worth such losses, but Brockhurst retorts that the aggressive U.S. commander, Brig. Gen. "Casey" Dennis, loves the war. Brockhurst travels to Dennis' headquarters, and observes B-17s taking off on another major strike. He tries to milk information about the arrest of a highly publicized pilot, Captain Jenks, from T/Sgt. Evans, a highly competent non-commissioned officer in Dennis's office, but Evans deftly and cordially deflects the issue.
Dennis has a triple public relations crisis on his hands as his superior, Maj. Gen. Kane, visits at the same time, accompanied by Brig. Gen. Clifton Garnet. The presence of Garnet, a West Point classmate of Dennis and brother-in-law of Col. Ted Martin, has stirred speculation that he has been sent by the Pentagon to replace either Kane or Dennis in command. In addition Kane's headquarters reports that a visiting congressional committee is due, while Garnet also pleads for low loss missions because a joint resources conference at the Pentagon in three days might curtail more bombers.
Dennis and Brockhurst, old antagonists on conflicts between the military and the press, clash again. Kane tries to keep the peace, but when Dennis identifies the targets as Posenleben and Schweinhafen, Kane realizes Dennis has begun a highly sensitive operation in his absence. The return of the day's mission interrupts, and losses are even worse than the day before; Brockhurst cautions against a cover-up. Although the bomber group has been decimated, Martin has returned with the bad news that the group attacked the wrong target. As Dennis's old friend, Martin urges him to keep quiet because the two cities are indistinguishable. Dennis instead reveals to Kane that the target struck was a torpedo factory, and both Kane and Garnet see an opportunity to promote the mistake as cooperation with the U.S. Navy. Brockhurst learns about the mistake and to gain his cooperation Kane decides to trust him with the top secret information that their plan seeks to destroy factories building a German jet fighter before it can go into service and ruin American strategic bombing. A third city, Fendelhorst, must also be attacked, and Dennis's is the only unit positioned to reach the target, beyond range of protective fighter escort. A brief stretch of clear weather presents the opportunity to complete the operation before the Luftwaffe can mount an impenetrable defense.
Kane rules against attacking again but Dennis blackmails him by threatening to press charges against Capt. Jenks, whose uncle is Congressman Malcolm of the visiting Military Affairs Committee. Kane grudgingly gives permission to continue the operation while Dennis agrees to award Jenks (who had refused to fly the mission to Schweinhafen) a medal during Malcolm's visit. While Kane wines and dines the Committee, Garnet offers Martin the job of chief of staff (and a promotion) in a B-29 command in the Pacific that Garnet believes he is in line for, unbeknownst to Dennis.
The next day the Committee is impressed by the takeoff of the mission, but back in headquarters, Malcolm bitterly accuses Dennis of being reckless about losses. As tensions rise, Evans uses political savvy to ease the situation. Martin sends the signal that Schweinhafen has been destroyed, but during Jenks' decoration ceremony, Dennis is brought a message that Martin's B-17 (with Capt. Jenks' crew) is shot down. Malcolm renews his tirade against Dennis. Jenks unexpectedly tells his uncle to shut up and refuses his medal. Dennis, emotionally shaken by Martin's death, excuses himself to plan tomorrow's mission. Kane is shocked that despite everything, Dennis plans to hit the final jet factory target Fendelhorst. Kane relieves Dennis of command and replaces him with Garnet. When Garnet queries his staff about ordering an easy mission for the next day, he comes to the realization that Dennis hated what he had to do. Garnet makes the command decision to attack Fendelhorst while the weather permits. Dennis looks forward to a training command in the United States, where he can be near his family, but a last-minute change from the Pentagon orders him to the Pacific and the new B-29 command. Brockhurst, their differences ended by all he has seen, wishes Dennis well as he boards his aircraft.

## Cast

* Clark Gable as Brig. Gen. K.C. "Casey" Dennis
* Walter Pidgeon as Maj. Gen. Roland Goodlaw Kane
* Van Johnson as T/Sgt. Immanuel T. Evans
* Brian Donlevy as Brig. Gen. Clifton I. Garnet
* Charles Bickford as Elmer Brockhurst
* John Hodiak as Col. Edward Rayton "Ted" Martin
* Edward Arnold as Congressman Arthur Malcolm
* Marshall Thompson as Capt. George Washington Bellpepper Lee
* Richard Quine as Maj. George Rockton
* Cameron Mitchell as Lt. Ansel Goldberg
* Clinton Sundberg as Maj. Homer V. Prescott
* Ray Collins as Maj. Desmond Lansing
* Warner Anderson as Col. Earnest Haley
* John McIntire as Maj. Belding Davis
* Moroni Olsen as Congressman Stone
* John Ridgely as James Carwood
* Michael Steele as Capt. Lucius Jenks
* Edward Earle as Congressman Watson
* Mack Williams as Lt. Col. Virgil Jackson
* James Millican as Maj. Garrett Davenport

## Production

Clark Gable joined the Army Air Forces during World War II shortly after the death of his wife Carole Lombard in an aircraft crash, following a bond drive. He was promoted from lieutenant to major and flew five combat bombing missions from England in B-17s as a waist gunner, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Cameron Mitchell, who plays bombardier Lt. Goldberg, was also a bombardier during the war.
On the basis of his stage performance as Technical Sergeant Evans in the Broadway production of Command Decision, James Whitmore was contracted to MGM, although Van Johnson played the role in the film. Barry Nelson provided the uncredited radio voice ("Cumquat B-Baker") of B-17 pilot bringing in his bomber after a raid with wounded aboard.
MGM bought the rights to William Wister Haines' 1947 novel Command Decision at the behest of Clark Gable, who saw in it a starring role for himself. MGM paid a $100,000 down payment, which would escalate to $300,000 if the novel were staged as a play by October 1947. In the event, the play opened on Broadway on October 1 of that year.
Before filming began, Robert Taylor and Tom Drake had been expected to play roles in the film. Command Decision was in production from April 13–June 23, 1948, although principal photography began on April 24, 1948 at March Air Force Base. A single location shot was included in the final print, in which Dennis sees Martin off on the fatal mission. Due to the availability of two privately owned B-17s, the scene was shot at San Fernando Valley Airport in Van Nuys, California.
The film uses extensive cuts of archived footage shot during the war, but all of it is of the many varied aspects of mission preparation, takeoffs and landings. Except for the sequence under the opening credits, of bomber formations leaving voluminous contrails and then dropping bombs, no combat footage is used in the movie. Only two exteriors were used, of Brockhurst driving up to the main gate of the base in a jeep, and of Martin saying farewell to Dennis at his bomber's dispersal hardstand, totalling little more than a minute of film. The film's only action scene involves closeups of Dennis "talking down" a bomber piloted by a bombardier.
Director Sam Wood acknowledged the limitations of filming a stage play, shooting all scenes from a "relentlessly ground level", and used master shots and single-camera group shots that allowed the actors to use the choreography of the theatrical play to establish dramatic and moral relationships.

## Reception

The premiere of Command Decision took place in Los Angeles on December 25, 1948, and the film went into general release in February 1949. The premiere in Washington D.C., which took place sometime in February, was attended by Vice President Alben W. Barkley, Secretary of State Dean Acheson, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. Vandenberg and other dignitaries.
Command Decision was successful at the box office in 1949 earning $2,901,000 in the US and Canada and $784,000 elsewhere. However, due to its high cost, MGM recorded a loss of $130,000 on the movie.
It was named as one of the ten best films of 1948 by The New York Times and by Film Daily. Critical review centered on the key dramatic elements of the film, especially concerning the human factors involved in making command decisions. Bosley Crowther noted: "... it is the performance of Clark Gable in this scene of a soldier's momentary grieving that tests his competence in the leading role. For this is not only the least likely but it is the most sentimental moment in the film, and the fact that Mr. Gable takes it with dignity and restraint bespeaks his worth. Otherwise, he makes of General Dennis a smart, tough, straight-shooting man, disciplinary yet human and a "right guy" to have in command." Still, there were other reactions: in August 1949, the Los Angeles Times reported that a syndicated British film reviewer had called the film an "insult to British audiences" on the basis that it gave the audience the idea that American precision bombing had won the war. The film, however, did not make such a claim, though it did place perhaps an inordinate emphasis on strategic bombing. The long speeches by General Kane (Walter Pidgeon) and General Dennis (Clark Gable) in their dinner meeting in the middle of the film are some of the best expositions of grand strategy in any of the Second World War films. Those speeches along with a rather interesting (and somewhat humorous) interlude by the intelligence officer (ably played by Ray Collins - later Lieutenant Tragg in the Perry Mason TV series) all make for very informative illustrations for students and others interested in strategic leadership.
The film did not receive any awards, although writers William Laidlaw and George Froeschel were nominated for two Writers Guild Awards, for "Best Written American Drama" and the Robert Meltzer Award for the "Screenplay Dealing Most Ably with Problems of the American Scene".

## Adaptation

On March 3, 1949, Clark Gable, Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, Brian Donlevy, John Hodiak, Edward Arnold and Richard Quine reprised their film roles in a 30-minute radio version of Command Decision for the NBC radio network program Screen Guild Theater, the first pre-recorded commercial show to be broadcast over the network from Hollywood.

## Home media

Command Decision was released on DVD on June 5, 2007 in the United States.