rdavies0303 Unsurprising that a noted Western star like Cooper was chosen for the lead role. In the film Mitchell is really the Lone Ranger. His best friend is not a horse but an aeroplane. He pursues his idea of right. He defies the US Marshall. The townsfolk meanwhile rally around him.The real Billy Mitchell was a pretty rough diamond. Presumably he did issue a press statement in effect accusing high-ups of treason. Cooper portrays a much gentler type; he would never have used such language. Incongruous then to find him doing just that.A final historical note. At one point Mitchell gives a pretty accurate forecast of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. Was this brilliant foresight or did the Japanese read the court proceedings?

escaparc-1 1st of all ...you need to realize what exactly sank the greatest battleship that ever so briefly sailed the sea was the German Bismark sunk a year before the attack on Pearl Harbor even happened --- they were WWI biplane torpedo dive bomber in a last ditch desperation attack flying off an English carrier by disabling the battleship's rudder control thereby demonstrating the point that Gen Mithchell was trying to make ! Next ...I saw Billy Mitchell in a mid 30's news reel - pretty much in the Chuck Yaeger - Gary Cooper style - if I remember correctly - sitting back in khakis - cane at his side - " What I've been fired for - predicting the aviation dynamics of the next war - the devastation of - civilian targets - cities - the enemy nations industrial capacity to fight wars - WHEN THE NEXT WAR STARTS THE HEADS ARE GOING TO ROLL - what I have gone through will be nothing in comparison ! " What the movie got right so dramatically ... a poetic Hollywood license --- was when citizen Mitchell walked out from his court martial trial there was a propeller biplane fly - bye which turned into the Air Force JET Thunderbirds that the movie ended on ! My thoughts on all this is America will be secretly attacked again and again - unprepared - coward into protracted generational conflicts due to the public's unwillingness to see the problem - get the job done ! Clock punchers - pencil pushers - paper shufflers - war criminals - incompetents ! Thank God for men like Billy Mitchell !

plparshall Don't look for for exacting factual screenplay here, rather enjoy Gary Cooper's sensitive acting. I agree it runs more like a play and in that sense is done very well and all the actors perform well. Half the fun of this movie is watching the younger supporting cast and identifying the future stars of Hawaii FiveO, Bewitched, The Nightstalker, and a few others I haven't figured out yet. You'll see better than half the supporting cast on the situational comedies of the 1950's. The cross examination scene with Rod Steiger and Gary Cooper is pretty good too. As much as I like Gary Cooper it would have been interesting, and probably a better movie, to see Cagney as Mitchell.

millerbillies1987 This movie portrays a riveting historical account that tells the story of a visionary of his era who was wrongfully convicted of speaking his mind and not obeying military policy and procedure of the time. After the movie ended, I was immediately compelled to "google" Colonel Billy Mitchell and learn more about his court-martial. Movies like this are intriguing due to the fact that most people of the modern day do not remember, nor have ever been schooled in military history. Billy Mitchell's accounts and rationale for putting himself in the "hot seat" for the good of out country, despite having the knowledge that in doing so he'd undergo a court-martial, are commendable and honorable. Historically, time has told the truth and validated and, in my mind, vindicated Colonel Mitchell. His vision has led to the creation of the greatest Air Force the world will ever know.