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DVD Destination Tokyo
The offbeat casting of Cary Grant as a submarine captain pays off in this tense WWII underwater picture; he ably trades in his sophistication for the sweaty close quarters of an action movie. The mission? Infiltrate the mined harbor of Tokyo itself, a feat bookended by a brief confrontation in the Aleutians and a depth-charge chase through the open sea. Skipper Grant is supported by the usual stock crew of Navy melting-pot types, with John Garfield drawing duty as the resident dame-crazy fantasist. (Somebody forgot to put the saltpeter in his chow, apparently.) The solid action alternates with dialogue that tends toward the schmaltzy or jingoistic (the movie's become somewhat notorious for its unusually nasty propagandistic jabs at the Japanese enemy). Destination Tokyo was the directing debut of Delmer Daves, who would later excel in smart Westerns such as 3:10 to Yuma. --Robert Horton
Cary Grant is excellent in this movie. Set at Christmas time it reflects the faith of the American soldier in the "true God" with the terrible exception of replacing Christ's name with an "X" in Christmas. It depicts properly the Japanese system for what it was and chronicles the American soldier's hope for the future and his pride in fighting for it. I recommend this movie for sound minded American patriotic viewers, young and old alike, who collect movies for both historical accuracy and quality entertainment.
Straight to Tokyo
Standard 1944 sub movie with the correct mixed crew. They meet with the standard trials and tribulation.
The added pluses for this film are getting to go to Tokyo. There they are to sneak into the hills and give directions to the Mitsubishi plant. (Using the Japanese language). Mean while back at the ranch appendix looms its ugly head and they have to improvise interments.
Before you start getting blasé see how well the actors carry it off.
Will they be traced down in the hills?
Will the sub leave without them?
Can the sub get out undetected?
And is it over when the planes fly?
You might be surprised.
A WWII sub film made during the war? Probably a jingoistic, even racist, bit of ma-and-apple-pie propaganda with woefully dated special effects. That much is true of Destination Tokyo, to be sure. From that angle, it's still an interesting bit of WWII-meets-Hollywood history, and its plot even ties into the famous Dolittle raid. (The film never calls the raid by that name, but it uses the actual footage of the bombers leaving the carrier Hornet, so it's all clear enough what the inspiration is if you know WWII history.)
Destinaton Tokyo is also a strong enough film in its own right as long as you can accept/stomach its propaganda aims. The action sequences are pretty exciting by the day's standards, and the nicely acted slice-of-life bits with the colorful crew are formulaic but quite entertaining nonetheless. They're often funny too, thanks to John Garfield's perpetually horny braggart character.
In The Enemy Below Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens are respectively captains of a U.S. destroyer and a German U-boat whose vessels come into conflict in the South Atlantic. Both are good men with a job to do, the script noting Jurgens' distaste for Hitler and the Nazis and engaging our sympathy with the German sailors almost as much as the Americans. Made at the height of the cold war of the 1950s, the film delivers a liberal message of co-operation wrapped inside some spectacular action scenes and a story which builds to a tense and exciting, moving finale. --Gary S. DalkinMore Info about this DVD Actor(s): Robert Mitchum - Curd Jürgens Director(s): Dick Powell DVD Release Date: Released the 25 May 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Oliver Cromwell Jones, the black cook, is given a lot of screen time and the screen play treats him as an integral part of the mission. He is played by Ben Carter, one of the actors profiled in Donald Bogle's recent book BRIGHT BOULEVARDS, BOLD DREAMS; he was the agent for black Los Angeles actors who got in trouble with his clients because he often took the best parts and played them himself! This is definitely one of those cases, for he has a scene with James Gleason for which he should have been nominated for an Oscar, he's so good in the part--and it isn't one of Hollywood's wretched racially stereotypical parts, but one with real human feeling, dignity, comedy all mixed together. Gleason is super too.
However the picture really belongs to its headlining trio of stars,... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Archie Mayo DVD Release Date: Released the 25 May 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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If not a seminal World War II submarine picture, then Operation Pacific is at least an entertaining one. John Wayne stars as "Duke" Gifford, first officer of the submarine Thunderfish. Patricia Neal is Duke's ex-wife, and when they meet again after four years, the couple tries to recapture "that old zing." Complications arise when Duke goes on a mission with dud torpedoes, and his best friend's younger brother goes after Neal. Fans will be pleased with Wayne's role, as the Gifford character is one of Wayne's simplest, but most honest performances. Wayne regulars Ward Bond and Jack Pennick are on hand as well; Bond plays sub captain "Pop" Perry, and Pennick the sub's Chief. The scene in which Pop tells his crew to "Take 'er down!" came from real life; a sub skipper... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): John Wayne - Patricia Neal Director(s): George Waggner DVD Release Date: Released the 13 May 2003 Usually ships in 24 hours
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A movie's lasting value can often be measured by its influence in the years and decades following its original release, and on that basis Run Silent, Run Deep is certainly a classic of sorts. It remains one of the seminal World War II submarine pictures, and its intelligent script and tautly executed action are clearly echoed in such later submarine dramas as Das Boot and especially Crimson Tide, which borrows liberally from this 1958 film.
In one of his best and final roles (he appeared in only four films after this), Clark Gable plays a submarine captain without a command, having been saddled with a desk job after his previous ship was destroyed due to his overzealous pursuit of the enemy in dangerous Japanese waters. He finally gets another... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Clark Gable - Burt Lancaster Director(s): Robert Wise DVD Release Date: Released the 15 August 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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This Korean War-era film has all the trimmings as far as aerial combat is concerned. This is one of the few films which approaches this aspect of the war.
