Search - Command Decision on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1948 DVD Release: 06/05/2007 Format: DVD - Black and White Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 52 mins Studio: Warner Home Video Members Wishing: 8 Genres: Action, Drama, War, War Drama

Command Decision is a stagebound but consummately acted adaptation of William Wister Haines' Broadway play. Clark Gable, starring in the role essayed on Broadway by Paul Kelly, plays Air Force Brigadier General "Casey" Dennis. With time at a premium, Dennis sends waves of bomber squadrons into Germany to knock out the enemy's jet plane factories. Though Dennis seems utterly unconcerned about the fate of his pilots (even his superior officer Walter Pidgeon is appalled by the heavy losses), the audience knows that his duty is exacting a severe emotional toll on him. Thanks to pressure from a misguided US senator, "butcher" Dennis is replaced by the supposedly more humane Brian Donlevy. But Donlevy realizes that Gable's decisions were the correct ones, and he vows to continue his predecessor's "suicide missions". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Clark Gable - Brig. Gen. K.C. "Casey" Dennis
Walter Pidgeon - Maj. Gen. Roland G. Kane
Van Johnson - Tech. Sgt. Immanuel T. Evans
Brian Donlevy - Brig. Gen. Clifton L. Garnet
Charles Bickford - Elmer Brockhurst

Although it hasn't held up in reputation as well as Henry King's Twelve O'Clock High at Fox, Sam Wood's Command Decision (1948) -- based on a best-selling book and a hit play -- is an engrossing drama in its own right about the air war over Europe during World War II, and offers a brace of great performances. It was among the finest of Clark Gable's post-World War II vehicles, featuring some of the best work ever done by the legendary actor. It made it to laserdisc in a decent transfer back in the late 1980's, and the film has now shown up on DVD with a small but interesting body of support features. The best of those -- and a short whose name this reviewer never knew until now -- is part of MGM's "Passing Parade" series, entitled "Souvenirs Of Death", telling of the saga of a war souvenir German pistol as it moves from the hands of a family (where it becomes the basis for a tragedy) to the underworld. It's done entertainingly and effectively, and is the kind of sober presentation of the pitfalls of gun ownership that the NRA despises, and would probably have done its best to ban back when, had it wielded the kind of power that it does now at that time. "King-Size Canary" is a Tex Avery cartoon that seems to have an unintended message concerning science and the environment, as well as being damn funny. As to the movie, it's been given a crystal-sharp full-screen (1.33-to-1) transfer, with rich contrasts in every shot and no flaws to be seen. Harold Rosson's black-and-white cinematography is given the best showcase it has likely ever had in a home viewing format; the Miklos Rozsa score is also well presented, once one adjusts the volume, which is mastered extremely low; this reviewer had to almost triple the volume setting on his monitor, although the sound is clean and sharp once it comes up to the proper level. The chaptering is also limited to just 12 markers, which is unfortunate -- there are lots of great moments in this picture that should be better delineated. In fact, this movie and Howard Hawks' Air Force (part of the same release cycle) ought to have been given full commentary tracks. But the movie is more than good enough to be a priority purchase for any fan of good drama or great movies, regardless of what hasn't been done with it. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide