The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955): Cast & Plot
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell is a 1955 war drama directed by Otto Preminger, starring Gary Cooper as Col. Billy Mitchell, Jack Lord and Ralph Bellamy. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Otto Preminger
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell About?
The premise of The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A dramatized portrayal of the famed aviator who openly challenged the Army and Navy, leading to his court‑martial. It follows the American general’s bold accusations against High Command for dismissing and neglecting the fledgling aerial fighting forces, and the subsequent military trial that tested his convictions.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- court martial
- congressman
- widow
- visionary
- unwelcome
- military officer
- disagreement
- army uniform
- military pilot
- prognosis
- army base
- warship
+38 more Show fewer
- american admiral
- killed in an airship accident
- bomb dropped on warship
- military justice
- rejection
- demoted officer
- american soldier
- aircraft attacking a ship
- dropping bombs
- warship sunk by air attack
- military aviation
- naval officer
- u.s. army air service
- biplane
- order
- experimentation
- hierarchy
- naval uniform
- man in uniform
- u.s. military
- punitive transfer
- american general
- military aircraft
- navy airship
- navy ship
- ahead of one's time
- loss of friend
- royal aircraft factory s.e.5
- washington d.c.
- army major
- foresight
- provocation
- criticism
- obedience
- prediction
- discipline
- cross examination
- comradeship
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Cast & Characters
Gary Cooper leads the cast as Col. Billy Mitchell, with Jack Lord as Lt. Cmdr. Zachary 'Zack' Lansdowne and Ralph Bellamy as Congressman Frank R. Reid. Directed by Otto Preminger; 21 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Otto Preminger
-
Gary Cooper as Col. Billy Mitchell - Jack Lord as Lt. Cmdr. Zachary 'Zack' Lansdowne
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Ralph Bellamy as Congressman Frank R. Reid -
Ian Wolfe as President Calvin Coolidge
Also Starring in The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
· 17 more- Elizabeth Montgomery Margaret Lansdowne
- Tom McKee Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker
- Stephen Roberts Major Carl Spaatz
- Robert Brubaker Major H. H. Arnold
- Phil Arnold Fiorello LaGuardia
- Rod Steiger Maj. Allan Guillion
- Charles Bickford Gen. Jimmy Guthrie
- Fred Clark Col. Moreland
- Will Wright Admiral William S. Sims
- Peter Graves Capt. Bob Elliott
- Darren McGavin Capt. Russ Peters
- Robert F. Simon Admiral Gage
- Charles Dingle Senator Fullerton
- Dayton Lummis General Douglas MacArthur
- Herbert Heyes General John J. Pershing
- Gregory Walcott Howard Millikan
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
- James Daly Lt. Col. Herbert White
More from Otto Preminger
More films directed by Otto Preminger, best-rated first: Anatomy of a Murder, Bunny Lake Is Missing, The Man with the Golden Arm and Carmen Jones.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Plot Summary
What happens in The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell (Gary Cooper) fights to prove the Air Service’s worth as an independent force by sinking the battleship Ostfriesland under restrictive conditions agreed to by the Army and Navy. He defies orders to limit the attack to bombs under 1,000 pounds from above 5,000 ft, and instead loads 2,000-pound bombs, directing the aircraft to fly at about 1,500 ft, proving that the ex-German WWI battleship Ostfriesland can indeed be sunk. His superiors are outraged.
Full summary
The whole story of The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
What was the name of the battleship that Billy Mitchell sank during his air test?
Cars in The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
6 cars on screen, including the Dodge Brothers Sedan and the Dodge Brothers Touring.
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Dodge Brothers Sedan Minor role -
Dodge Brothers Touring Minor role -
unknown Minor role -
1924 Ford Model T Background role
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell Also Known As
11 alternative titles, including “Verdammt zum Schweigen” and “El proceso de Billy Mitchell”.
- Also known as
-
- Verdammt zum Schweigen
- El proceso de Billy Mitchell
- Corte marziale
- Condamné au silence
- 对比利米切尔的军事审判
- Billy Mitchell'in Davası
- Трибунал Билли Митчел
- 빌리 미첼의 군사재판
- A Corte Marcial de Billy Mitchell
- En mans myteri
- 對比利米切爾的軍事審判
Seen The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell?
Movies Like The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including King and Country, Man in the Middle and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell?
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell released?
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell was released on December 22, 1955.
Who directed The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell?
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell was directed by Otto Preminger.
More films by Otto Preminger Who is in the cast of The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell?
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell stars Gary Cooper as Col. Billy Mitchell, Jack Lord as Lt. Cmdr. Zachary 'Zack' Lansdowne and Ralph Bellamy as Congressman Frank R. Reid, among 21 credited actors.
Does The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell have a post-credit scene?
No. The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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