The High and the Mighty (1954): cast, story & where to watch
1954 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1954, The High and the Mighty is an action, thriller, drama and adventure film directed by William A. Wellman, running about 147 minutes. “The 2-Year Best-Seller Sensation! The Year's Greatest Cast!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Dan Roman is a veteran pilot haunted by a tragic past. Now relegated to second-in-command cockpit assignments he finds himself on a routine Honolulu-to-San Francisco flight - one that takes a terrifying suspense-building turn when disaster strikes high above the Pacific Ocean at the point of no return.
Who’s in it. The High and the Mighty stars John Wayne as Dan Roman, Claire Trevor as May Holst, Laraine Day as Lydia Rice and Robert Stack as John Sullivan, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, The High and the Mighty has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The High and the Mighty page.
If you liked it. Fans of The High and the Mighty tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The High and the Mighty (1954)?
- In US, The High and the Mighty is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The High and the Mighty worth watching?
- The High and the Mighty holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, thriller, drama and adventure. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The High and the Mighty?
- The High and the Mighty stars John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day, Robert Stack and Jan Sterling.
- When was The High and the Mighty released?
- The High and the Mighty was released in 1954, with a runtime of about 147 minutes.