Released - December, 1943 

Directed By - Delmer Daves

Starring- Cary Grant (Capt. Cassidy), John Garfield (Wolf), Alan Hale (‘Cookie’ Wainwright), John Ridgely (Reserve Officer Raymond), Dane Clark (Tin Can).

Description- It’s Christmas Eve and the submarine USS Copperfin is leaving San Francisco on a secret mission. The Copperfin is commanded by Captain Cassidy who is ordered to take the sub to the Aleutian Islands, pick up meteorologist Lieut. Raymond and proceed to Tokyo Bay and obtain vital weather intelligence for the planed Doolittle Raid.

Along the way they are attacked by two Japanese fighter planes and are able to repel the attack. A much greater challenge is just ahead.

As the submarine approaches Tokyo Bay they must navigate their way through the heavily mined waters that protect the bay. So far undetected, the sub follows a Japanese ship through the mines and is able to enter the bay.

Now, they must send a small party onto land in order to make their weather observations. A radio broadcast becomes necessary, and although they send it in Japanese, it is overheard and the Japanese begin a search of the bay.

There is still a long way to go as the Copperfin will encounter an aircraft carrier as well as a destroyer in order to complete their mission and return safely. If that’s even possible.

NOTABLE: This film received an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Original Story.

Destination Tokyo was a great influence to then actor Ronald Reagan and his acceptance of a role as a World War II submarine Captain in the 1957 film Hellcats of the Navy.

The operation of the submarine in this film was so accurate that the Navy used it as a training film during World War II.

In an interview aired on Turner Class Movies, actor Tony Curtis stated that Cary Grant’s performance inspired him to become an actor.

The practice of one Hollywood studio “loaning” an actor to another studio came into play with this picture. Columbia Pictures loaned Cary Grant to Warner Brothers for this production. 

Destination Tokyo

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: War – Battlefront Asia (Bataan / Back to Bataan / The Green Berets / Destination Tokyo)

The Cary Grant Signature Collection (Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House / Destination Tokyo / The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer / My Favorite Wife / Night and Day)

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Released - November, 1943 

Directed By - Zoltan Korda

Starring- Humphrey Bogart (Sgt. Joe Gunn), Bruce Bennett (Waco Hoyt), J. Carrol Naish (Giuseppe), Lloyd Bridges (Fred Clarkson), Dan Duryea (Jimmy Doyle).

Description- Tank commander Sgt. Joe Gunn, and his tank the “Lulu Belle,” have been separated from their unit after the fall of Tobruk in the North African Desert.

Finding a bombed out hospital during their retreat they pick up an assortment of stragglers that include a British doctor, four Commonwealth troops, a Free French corporal, and a short time later a Sudanese sergeant major and his Italian prisoner.

The group find themselves running out of the most precious possession one could have in the Sahara desert – water. The Italian prisoner offers to take them to the location of a well. However, the intended destination is too far and the group must detour to a well marked on Sgt. Gunn’s map that may, or may not, have any water.

Also on their way to the well is a German batallion desperate for water. Sgt. Gunns’ group arrive first only to find just a tricke of water in the well. No where near enough to save them. When the German’s arrive, Sgt. Gunn must defend the empty well.

He does so by pretending that their is plenty of water in the well and tries using this as a negotiating tool with the German’s in order to buy some time hoping a messenger Gunn has sent for help gets through.

The German’s, knowing that they have the superior force, are having none of it. They attack, are repelled, attack again and are repelled again. With each attack Sgt. Gunn’s defense becomes weaker and weaker while the desperation of the German army grows greater.

Can the German army go much longer without water, will help arrive in time, and even if it does there is still no water.

NOTABLE: This film received three Oscar Nominations; Best Actor in a Supporting Role (J. Carrol Naish), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, and Best Sound, Recording.

Sahara used real soldiers, training at Camp Youn, CA, as extras and background artists.

Make-up artist Henry Pringle used a simple trick to produce the sweat on the faces of the actors. As noted in Look Magazine, he would apply Vaseline to their faces and simply spray them with water and the droplets would hold.

Personal Note: Loving all-things Bogart, this is a film that I own. Solid action and suspense, along with good character development. One of the better, though not familiar to some, World War II motion pictures.

Sahara

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Released - June, 1943 

Directed By - Mark Sandrich

Starring – Claudette Colbert (Lt. Janet ‘Davy’ Davidson), Paulette Goddard (Lt. Joan O’Doul), Veronica Lake (Lt. Olivia D’Arcy), George Reeves (Lt. John Summers).

Description – In December, 1941, a group of U.S. Army nurses leave San Francisco for their tour of duty in Hawaii. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, their destination and their lives will be changed forever.

Diverted to meet a convey of ships they rescue the survivors of one of the ships that has been torpedoed. Their new orders assign them to a hospital in Bataan. As the fall of Bataan becomes frightenly evident they must evacuate to the island of Corregidor.

The Japanese attack of Corregidor is equally as intense. There are supreme sacrifices and challanges for the untested nurses who soon become battle-weary veterans facing a constantly increasing number of wounded to care for and rapidly diminishing supplies for their care.

Action, romance, and one of a few fine tributes to the women who served in World War II.

NOTABLE: So Prodly We Hail was nominated for four Oscar’s. They included Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Paulette Goddard), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Effects, Special Effects, and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

So Proudly We Hail (Universal Cinema Classics)

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Released - March, 1943 

Directed By – Howard Hawks

Starring – John Ridgely (‘Irish” Quincannon), Gig Young (Bill Williams), Arthur Kennedy (Tommy McMartin), Charles Drake (‘Monk’ Hauser), Harry Carey (Robbie White).

Description – This is the story of the crew of B-17 Bomber the Mary-Ann during the first days of the United States entry into World War II.

While on a routine flight to Hawaii, the B-17 crew of the Mary-Ann hear Japanese voices coming over their radio. This is followed by the news that Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is under attack. Their flight is diverted to an emergency airfield on Maui.

After some repairs, and fully arming the plane, they take off for Manila, also devastated by a Japanese attack.  A fuel stop at Wake Island brings the crew into contact with the Marines defending the island. Facing what appears to be a hopeless struggle, the Marines ask the Mary-Ann to take letters to their families.

This begins the epic effort of the Mary-Ann and its crew and it continues on with a valient effort fighting not only on Wake Island, but also the Philippines, and the Battle of the Coral Sea.

NOTABLE: This film won the Oscar for Best Film Editing and was also nominated for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Effects, Special Effects, and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

Air Force was one of the first of the World War II propaganda films.

The motion picture was one of Warner Brothers top three money makers in 1943.

The film used actual wartime newsreel footage in some of the scenes including the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Director Howard Hawks is credited with making this film much more that just a run-of-the-mill wartime propaganda film.

Air Force

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Released - August, 1942 

Directed By - John Farrow

Starring – Brian Donlevy (Maj. Geoffrey Caton), Macdonald Carey (Lt. Bruce Cameron), Robert Preston (Pvt. Joe Doyle), William Bendix (Pvt. Aloysius K. ‘Smacksie’ Randall).

Description – In the early part of World War II, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States military base at Wake Island is under seige by the Japanese army. This is the story of the small garrison of Marines and civilian contractors assigned to hold the island.

Severely out-numbered, and with no hope of supplies or reinforcements, it is only a matter of time before they are no longer able to hold on.

This is an exciting action-packed film that is based on a true story and one of the first American films made about World War II

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for four Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (William Bendix), Best Director (John Farrow), and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.

Paramount Studio began the production of this film even before the real battle of Wake Island was over.

Although Hollywood portrayed this gallant Marine company as having fought to the death in a History Channel special  the real survivors referred to this film as a great work of fiction.

Wake Island

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