- Man in the Sky
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Man in the Sky Directed by Charles Crichton Produced by Michael Balcon Written by John Eldridge (screenplay)
William Rose
(story and screenplay)Starring Jack Hawkins
Elizabeth SellarsDistributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release date(s) January 1957 Running time 87 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English Man in the Sky (released in the U.S. as Decision Against Time) is a 1957 film produced by Ealing Studios and starring Jack Hawkins.
Plot
Test pilot John Mitchell (Jack Hawkins) disappoints his wife Mary (Elizabeth Sellars) by refusing to increase their unsuccessful bid for a house. What she does not know is that the aircraft manufacturing company he works for is in desperate financial straits. Owner Reginald Conway (Walter Fitzgerald) needs to get Ashmore (Eddie Byrne) to place an order soon or the firm will go bankrupt.
Mitchell takes the only prototype of a new airplane for a flight, with Ashmore and several others aboard. During testing, one engine catches on fire. Ashmore and the others safely parachute to safety. Then, despite Conway's order and the urgings of others, Mitchell decides to try to land the plane rather than crashing it into the sea. However, he has to fly back and forth for half an hour to use up the fuel.
During the tense wait, co-worker Mrs. Snowden (Megs Jenkins) takes it upon herself to notify Mitchell's wife. Mary goes to the airfield and watches as her husband manages to land safely. Later, at home, she demands to know why he risked his life when everyone told him to bail out. He explains that it was his duty and the company's fate hung in the balance. Then he phones their real estate agent and agrees to the seller's price.
Cast
- Jack Hawkins as John Mitchell
- Elizabeth Sellars as Mary Mitchell
- Jeremy Bodkin as Nicholas Mitchell, John's young son
- Gerard Lohan as Philip Mitchell, John's other young son
- Walter Fitzgerald as Reginald Conway
- John Stratton as Peter Hook
- Eddie Byrne as Ashmore
- Victor Maddern as Joe Biggs
- Lionel Jeffries as Keith
- Donald Pleasence as Crabtree
- Catherine Lacey as Mary's Mother
- Megs Jenkins as Mrs. Snowden
- Ernest Clark as Maine
- Raymond Francis as Jenkins
- Russell Waters as Sim
External links
- Man in the Sky at the Internet Movie Database
- Man in the Sky at AllRovi
- Man in the Sky at the TCM Movie Database
The films of Charles Crichton 1940s For Those in Peril • Dead of Night (segment) • Painted Boats • Hue and Cry • Against the Wind • Another Shore • Train of Events (segment)1950s Dance Hall • The Lavender Hill Mob • Hunted • The Titfield Thunderbolt • The Love Lottery • The Divided Heart • Man in the Sky • Law and Disorder • Floods of Fear • The Battle of the Sexes1960s The Boy Who Stole a Million • The Third Secret • He Who Rides a Tiger1980s Categories:- British films
- English-language films
- 1957 films
- 1950s drama films
- Aviation films
- Black-and-white films
- Films directed by Charles Crichton
- 1950s drama film stubs
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