The High and the Mighty (1954): Cast, Box Office & Where to Watch
The High and the Mighty is a 1954 action thriller directed by William A. Wellman, starring John Wayne as Dan Roman, Robert Stack and William Campbell. It runs 2 hours 27 minutes and earned $4,334 worldwide. Stream it on YouTube TV, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 27m (147 min)
- Director
- William A. Wellman
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Wayne-Fellows Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The High and the Mighty About?
The premise of The High and the Mighty without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Veteran pilot Dan Roman, haunted by a tragic past, now serves as second‑in‑command. On a routine Honolulu‑to‑San Francisco flight, he and his crew face a terrifying crisis when disaster strikes high above the Pacific, leaving them at the point of no return. Praised as a two‑year bestseller with a celebrated cast, the film builds relentless suspense.
The High and the Mighty Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- airplane accident
- dysfunctional marriage
- stewardess
- panic
- fear of flying
- flashback
- ocean crossing
- newlywed couple
- husband wife relationship
- whistling
- airplane
- manipulative wife
+38 more Show fewer
- romantic rivalry
- memory
- revolver
- grudge
- luggage
- child in jeopardy
- screenplay adapted by author
- commercial air travel
- ensemble cast
- all star cast
- grand hotel format
- wayne and trevor
- wayne and fix
- wayne and qualen
- wellman and wayne
- wellman and chandler
- airline pilot
- disaster drama
- based on the novel of the same name
- co produced by actor
- painter as artist
- airplane navigator
- u.s. coast guard
- melody pocket watch
- losing altitude
- airplane captain
- man panicking
- pacific ocean
- log cabin
- averting disaster
- second officer
- amateur radio broadcaster
- dispatcher
- first officer
- alcohol abuse
- fiance
- fictional airline
- california
Where to Watch The High and the Mighty
Stream it on YouTube TV, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 1
YouTube TV 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
The High and the Mighty Cast & Characters
John Wayne leads the cast as Dan Roman, with Robert Stack as John Sullivan and William Campbell as Hobie Wheeler. Directed by William A. Wellman; 35 actors are credited in all.
-
Director William A. Wellman
-
John Wayne as Dan Roman - Robert Stack as John Sullivan
- William Campbell as Hobie Wheeler
- Wally Brown as Lenny Wilby, navigator
Also Starring in The High and the Mighty
· 31 more- Julie Mitchum Susie Wilby
- Doe Avedon Miss Spalding
- Claire Trevor May Holst
- Laraine Day Lydia Rice
- John Howard Howard Rice
- Jan Sterling Sally McKee
- Ann Doran Clara Joseph
- Paul Fix Frank Briscoe
- Phil Harris Ed Joseph
- Sidney Blackmer Humphrey Agnew
- David Brian Ken Childs
- John Qualen Jose Locota
- Robert Newton Gustave Pardee
- Julie Bishop Lillian Pardee
- Regis Toomey Tim Garfield
- Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez Gonzales
Show all 35 cast members Show fewer cast members
- William H. O'Brien Restaurant Cook
- George Chandler Ben Sneed
- Douglas Fowley Alsop
- Carl Switzer Ensign Keim
- William Schallert Dispatcher
- William Hopper Roy
- Douglas Kennedy Boyd, Public Relations (uncredited)
- Paul Kelly Donald Flaherty
- Walter Reed Mr. Field (uncredited)
- Robert Easton Cargo Clerk (uncredited)
- John Smith Milo Buck
- Robert Keys Lieutenant Mowbray
- Karen Sharpe Nell Buck
- Joy Kim Dorothy Chen
- Michael Wellman Toby Fields
The High and the Mighty Plot Summary
What happens in The High and the Mighty from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In Honolulu, Hawaii, a DC-4 airliner quietly prepares to push back for San Francisco with 17 passengers and a five-member crew. On the flight deck, the former captain Dan Roman [John Wayne] is the seasoned first officer whose signature whistle often carries through the cabin, and he carries the weight of a past air crash that claimed his wife and son, leaving him with a permanent limp. At the controls, Captain John Sullivan [Robert Stack] bears a different kind of burden—a deep-seated, almost existential fear of responsibility after thousands of hours safeguarding the lives of strangers.
Full summary
The whole story of The High and the Mighty, scene by scene
The High and the Mighty Box Office
The High and the Mighty grossed $4,334 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$4.3K
- International
- $4.3K
The High and the Mighty Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Joe Dante on THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY
How Well Do You Know The High and the Mighty?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- 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
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor portrays the seasoned first officer Dan Roman, who carries a limp from a previous crash?
Cars in The High and the Mighty
7 cars on screen, including the American LaFrance 700 and the 1950 Cadillac Ambulance.
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American LaFrance 700 Minor role -
1950 Cadillac Ambulance Minor role -
Clark Clarktor Minor role -
Ford F-Series Minor role
Seen The High and the Mighty?
Movies Like The High and the Mighty
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including No Way Up, High Flight and Mayday.
The High and the Mighty FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office and post-credit scenes of The High and the Mighty, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The High and the Mighty?
The High and the Mighty runs 2 hours 27 minutes (147 minutes).
When was The High and the Mighty released?
The High and the Mighty was released on May 27, 1954.
Who directed The High and the Mighty?
The High and the Mighty was directed by William A. Wellman.
More films by William A. Wellman Who is in the cast of The High and the Mighty?
The High and the Mighty stars John Wayne as Dan Roman, Robert Stack as John Sullivan and William Campbell as Hobie Wheeler, among 35 credited actors.
Where can I watch The High and the Mighty?
In the US, The High and the Mighty is streaming on YouTube TV and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did The High and the Mighty make at the box office?
The High and the Mighty grossed $4,334 worldwide.
Does The High and the Mighty have a post-credit scene?
No. The High and the Mighty has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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