Above and Beyond (1952)

[Birdy]

Thank you, Alejandra, for uploading some clips from "Above and Beyond" on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA3yK60-zKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TefVBtV5lUg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBt6ARkoLjg

I became much interested in to watch the movie itself and fortunately found a PAL R2 DVD in France, which I've immediately ordered. Can't wait to get it!
I certainly know another A&B-fan among the members here...

By the way: did you notice, that the photograph of his mother - he is lokking at while struggling with inner doubts and prickings of conscience - seems to be a photo of Bob's own real mother?

[Linda Alexander]

I've always sensed that in the scene where Taylor's character, Paul Tibbets, writes to his mother, his "speech" sums up his, Bob's, reasons for his activity during the HUAC period. He hadn't long been out of that timeframe, just 5 years. He was at a point in his life where he was struggling as to what to do next ... he & Barbara were no longer married. He was just trying to figure out where he would go & how he would go forward in his personal life. A very heartfelt speech.

And you're right, Birdy--as usual. That photo supposedly of Tibbetts' mother does look like Ruth Brugh, Bob's mother. It wouldn't surprise me. . . .

[Bryan Aherne]

Hi Birdy
Above and Beyond is a favourite of mine, theres plenty of raw emotion with Eleanor Parker, its tension in military sense make it a great Bob Taylor movie

[Alejandra]

Thank you Birdy for posting the links. Yes! It's Mrs Brugh in person!
I had problems the last saturday when I decided to post these clips, because Youtube desynchronized my videos every time that I wanted to upload them. I finally gave up. The first fragment sounds a bit desynchronized but what can I do?

Some time ago I found an article titled The Making of Above and Beyond written by Michael Pressler:
http://public.gettysburg.edu/academics/gettysburg_review/Previous_S...
From a one-dimensional perspective the author states "the fictional 'love interest' in the film works against or counterbalances the docudrama’s interest in justifying the bomb" or "the film applauds Tibbets for bombing Hiroshima". I wonder which film he actually did watch. I watched a completely different film and I must say I feel more close to understand the human condition watching Robert Taylor portraying Paul Tibbets on screen than reading real Paul Tibbets's own accounts of the subject.

The two Tibbets

[Linda Alexander]

Bob's taller & better-looking ... but they got the widow's peak right on target. ; >

Alejandra said:

Thank you Birdy for posting the links. Yes! It's Mrs Brugh in person!
I had problems the last saturday when I decided to post these clips, because Youtube desynchronized my videos every time that I wanted to upload them. I finally gave up. The first fragment sounds a bit desynchronized but what can I do?

Some time ago I found an article titled The Making of Above and Beyond written by Michael Pressler:
http://public.gettysburg.edu/academics/gettysburg_review/Previous_S...
From a one-dimensional perspective the author states "the fictional 'love interest' in the film works against or counterbalances the docudrama’s interest in justifying the bomb" or "the film applauds Tibbets for bombing Hiroshima". I wonder which film he actually did watch. I watched a completely different film and I must say I feel more close to understand the human condition watching Robert Taylor portraying Paul Tibbets on screen than reading real Paul Tibbets's own accounts of the subject.

The two Tibbets

[Margaret Gaffney]

I just recently got the DVD of this movie and enjoy it every time. The emotions are so real that you can understand the decision to be the pilot to drop an atomic bomb was not easy. From the beginning to the end this picture holds up I think as one of his best.

[mario63]

For me, Above and Beyond is in the Top 5 of Robert Taylor´s greatest films, along with other great perfomances in films like Bataan, Waterloo Bridge, Quo Vadis and Rogue Cop. If he ever deserved and Oscar for his job sure with his perfomance of Col.Tibbet came very close to that. An also a perfect example or how good he was as an actor!!