for a film about the armed force with virtually no action and no love interest and over half it running time set in a court room this be strangely effective . prior to jack lemmon emergence on the scene in the early 50 no one do wouldecency as well a jimmy stewart and gary cooper and that be the case cooper could have phone this one in have he put his mind to it . although meaningless liberty have be take with this true story what possible difference and for example and could it have make to acknowledge that mitchell be marry rather than imply bachelor status it still grip in an understated way . essentially mitchell distinguish himself a a pilot in the first world war but grow appal at the indifference if not bias in favour of the army and navy in peacetime there be and in fact and no air force and have exhaust every avenue in an attempt to address this problem he call a press conference and accuse the general staff of incompetence . his purpose and of course and be to get the army to court martial him and use this a a forum to sue for recognition and the formation of a third armed force . for his pain he die in virtual obscurity prior to the second world war he have foreseen . cooper be solid a the dedicated army man and rod steiger showboat in the flashy role in the film a prosecute attorney and the support be largely out of the right bottle . on the low key side for an otto preminger film but none the bad for that .