Toward the Unknown (1956)

Released from capture while serving in the Korean War, test pilot William Holden (as Lincoln "Linc" Bond) wants his military job back. Since he cracked while being tortured, there are trepidations about Mr. Holden's character and ability to carry out dangerous flight tests, but Edwards Air Force Base test center leader Lloyd Nolan (as William "Bill" Banner) decides to give Holden a chance. An even older man, Mr. Nolan has some retirement issues of his own. Also, Nolan is dating nicely figured young secretary Virginia Leith (as Connie Mitchell), who used to hang with Holden...Holden produced "Toward the Unknown" for himself, and it is not surprisingly a routine and unremarkable star vehicle. Given Holden's age, it might have been more interesting to make his character a World War II veteran with added back-story about the intervening years. Nolan is always good, here with a role that unfortunately leaves blanks in both his physical ailments and relationship with an amusing L.Q. Jones (as Sweeney). Trouble-maker Murray Hamilton (as Bromo) livens up his scenes. In his first appearance, future TV super-star James Garner plays a sympathetic part.***** Toward the Unknown (9/27/56) Mervyn LeRoy ~ William Holden, Lloyd Nolan, Virginia Leith, Charles McGraw

The one and only film that William Holden produced as well as starred in is this great tribute to the test pilots of the United States Air Force who were breaking all kinds of flying speed records in the Fifties, the new age of jet and rocket propulsion. Toward The Unknown is about as authentic as you can get in a film about flying, being shot at Edwards Air Force Base as it was.Holden plays an Air Force pilot who was a POW in Korea and was tortured and broke under it. For that reason General Lloyd Nolan is reluctant to give him a chance at test flying the latest jets and even more so with the untried rocket technology of the X-2. Pulling for him is Nolan's second in command at Edwards, Charles McGraw, and Virginia Leith who is Nolan's secretary. In fact Nolan and Holden are both out courting her as well which puts another dimension to the situation.This film is an absolute must for aviation buffs just like Jet Pilot, the Howard Hughes produced film that starred John Wayne and Janet Leigh. Unlike that film, the story plot is reasonable and coherent in Toward The Unknown.James Garner has a small part in this film as another test pilot in one of his earliest feature roles. So does Murray Hamilton who has a drinking problem and a real dislike for Holden whom he sees as a rival.Toward The Unknown, fine product that it was, was the last film that William Holden was involved on the production end with. He found he did not like being involved in all the aspects of production as it were as so many of his other contemporaries enjoyed. Still as a producer Holden batted 1.000. Toward The Unknown is a fine production and should be required viewing for aviation buffs.

"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."

This movie is seldom shown, but it's one of William Holden's most underrated pictures. The flying sequences are excellent, and well integrated into the overall story (much more so than many other movies about flying/test pilots). Holden gives a fine performance as a former test pilot who cracked under torture as a North Korean prisoner, and is searching for redemption from his peers and from himself. Highly recommended if you like this sort of film.