BB17-091 — THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY
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YEAR: 1954
FILM STUDIO / PRODUCTION: Wayne-Fellows Productions / Warner Bros. Pictures
TAGLINE: “Civilised people turned into a rabble of violence & terror”
DIRECTOR: William A. Wellman
CAST: John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day, Robert Stack, Jan Sterling, Phil Harris, Robert Newton, David Brian
SCREENPLAY: Ernest K. Gann, based on his 1953 novel
PRODUCERS: Robert Fellows and John Wayne
MUSIC: Dimitri Tiomkin
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Archie Stout
GENRE: Aviation / Adventure / Drama / Disaster Film / Thriller

FORMAT: Australian Daybill

The High and the Mighty is the 1954 aviation drama starring John Wayne as veteran airline first officer Dan Roman, aboard a passenger flight that develops catastrophic engine trouble while crossing the Pacific. Directed by William A. Wellman, it became an important early template for the ensemble disaster-film genre.

POSTER DESIGN FEATURES: A strikingly minimalist Australian Daybill dominated by a large black aircraft silhouette above an oversized black-to-red title treatment. Red hand-lettered cast billing highlights John Wayne, Claire Trevor and the extensive supporting cast. Unlike many international posters for the film, this Australian design avoids portraits entirely, instead selling the danger of the aircraft and the film's dramatic premise.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE: An important John Wayne title outside his better-known Westerns and war films, with Wayne also serving as producer. The film received six Academy Award nominations, with Dimitri Tiomkin winning for his memorable original score; Claire Trevor and Jan Sterling were both nominated for supporting actress. Its combination of John Wayne, aviation history and early disaster-film significance gives the poster several distinct collector markets.