At the dawn of supersonic flight in the 1950s, a group of Edwards Air Force Base experimental aircraft test pilots push themselves to the limit.At the dawn of supersonic flight in the 1950s, a group of Edwards Air Force Base experimental aircraft test pilots push themselves to the limit.At the dawn of supersonic flight in the 1950s, a group of Edwards Air Force Base experimental aircraft test pilots push themselves to the limit.
Richard H. Cutting
- Doc Bailey - Flight Surgeon
- (uncredited)
John Daheim
- Stranger in Nightclub Fight
- (uncredited)
Cathy Ferrara
- Lucy Craven
- (uncredited)
Don C. Harvey
- Jerry - Bartender
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe scene with William Holden losing control and tumbling in the X-2 is depicted with footage from test pilot Chuck Yeager's 70,000-foot free-fall in the Bell X-1A in 1953.
- GoofsThroughout the film, General Banner's combat ribbons on his uniform keep changing in number. Early in the film he has three rows of combat ribbons. Later, he has five rows, and then three rows again.
- Quotes
Brig. Gen. Bill Banner: [to Maj. Lincoln Bond] Even with torture, you're not the kind to crack.
- ConnectionsReferenced in What's My Line?: June Taylor and Her Dancers & William Holden (1956)
- SoundtracksThe U.S. Air Force
by Robert Crawford
Featured review
Makes "The Right Stuff" look like kid's stuff
"The Right Stuff" tried hard to capture the feel of Edwards and the 'golden age' of flight testing - but "Toward the Unknown" outdoes the later film in spades. In spite of the cut-n-pasted love story with the wooden Virginia Leith, this film catches the flavor of USAF flight testing with William Holden's credible performance as a previously up-and-coming aviator tries to regain his stature following a tormented experience as a POW during the Korean War. The "pilot speak" is dumbed down just enough for the civilian audience, and the flying sequences are well done - no models here. As a footnote, Holden is a composite of real-life test pilot Pete Everest (with whom Holden developed a fast friendship during filming) and Walker "Bud" Mahurin, whose Korean War POW experiences were woven into the script (although Mahurin never attempted suicide). In fact, there are striking similarities (surely purposeful) in appearance between the leading actors and their real-life counterparts: Stand Holden next to Everest, and Lloyd Nolan next to General Al Boyd, and you'll see what I mean.
I have a VHS copy I had made from a deteriorating 16mm print of the film which I picked up off eBay (the friend who made the tape said the emulsion was chipping off the celluloid as he taped it, it was in such poor condition), so I'll have to live with that until a DVD becomes available - which, according to a credible source, won't happen until the Holden estate reaches an agreement with the production company. I do know a print of the film was furnished to the Edwards AFB theater recently for a showing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original premier of "Toward The Unknown."
I have a VHS copy I had made from a deteriorating 16mm print of the film which I picked up off eBay (the friend who made the tape said the emulsion was chipping off the celluloid as he taped it, it was in such poor condition), so I'll have to live with that until a DVD becomes available - which, according to a credible source, won't happen until the Holden estate reaches an agreement with the production company. I do know a print of the film was furnished to the Edwards AFB theater recently for a showing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original premier of "Toward The Unknown."
helpful•50
- gmasher
- Nov 24, 2006
- How long is Toward the Unknown?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $2,200,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 55 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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