Toward The Unknown (1956)

A former Korean POW (William Holden) who made a false confession under torture returns to active service at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Not only must he deal with his own insecurities, he must contend with a hard nosed Commander (Lloyd Nolan) and the distrust of other officers. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy (QUO VADIS), this is yet another film about aviation and pilots where the aerial sequences are far more interesting than the mundane problems on the ground. While the storyline dealing with a POW suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and his guilt over breaking down is compelling, it's sidetracked by the fleet of Air Force combat aircraft and the flying scenes which pushes the PTSD issue into the background. There's also the groan inducing comedy relief provided by L.Q. Jones as Nolan's aide. If you're into aviation, there should be enough here to hold your interest. Others might not be so tolerant. With James Garner (in his film debut), Virginia Leith, Charles McGraw, Murray Hamilton, Karen Steele and Jean Willes.