A war film of the type Hollywood does so well. Packed with incident and spectacular flying scenes, it's the story of a pilot William Holden) who is reluctant to fly on a near-impossible mission.

This tricky decision is tied up with a touching love story (involving Grace Kelly) that may have you reaching for a handkerchief before the end.

In an excellent cast, which helps make this a superior production of its kind, Mickey Rooney stands out with his brave-as-a-bantam portrait of a helicopter rescue pilot.