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 - May, 1943 

Directed By - William A. Wellman

Starring – Henry Fonda (Gil Carter), Dana Andrews (Donald Martin), Mary Beth Hughes (Rose Mapen/Rose Swanson), Anthony Quinn (Juan Martinez), Harry Morgan (Art Croft).

Description – Two drifters, Gil Carter and Art Croft), ride into the town of Bridger’s Wells, Nevada and head for Darby’s Saloon. The mood inside is unusually quiet due to a rash of cattle rustling. The towns residents are obsessed with catching the thieves and cast a suspicious eye on the two strangers.

Shortly after their arrival, a man rides excitedly into town to announce that a local rancher has been murdered. A posse is immediately formed to find the murderer’s who the town assume to also be the cattle rustlers. Gil and Art join in with the posse.

Later that evening, in the Ox-Bow Canyon, the posse finds three men sleeping and in possession of what they believe to be stolen cattle. With the addition of a little more circumstantial evidence the posse soon becomes a lynch mob.

Mob rule has now taken over.

NOTABLE: The Ox-Bow Incident received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

In 1998 this motion picture was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Star Henry Fonda, while under contract to 20th Century Fox, was generally unhappy with the roles he was given. There were two exceptions; this role in The Ox-Bow Incident and his role in The Grapes of Wrath.

The Hays Office was initially reluctant in giving their approval of the films script. They did not like the idea that it appeared that the sheriff condoned the idea of a lynching.

Personal Note: A terrific western with a disturbingly vivid portrayal of the terror of mob rule. Thought-provoking, well acted, and a fine script make this a movie that can be enjoyed by everyone and not just fans of the Western genre. 

The Ox-Bow Incident

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Released – February, 1933 

Directed By - Lowell Sherman

Starring – Mae West (Lady Lou), Cary Grant (Captain Cummings), Owen Moore (Chick Clark), Gilbert Roland (Serge Stanieff), Noah Beery (Gus Jordan).

Description – This pre-code comedy/romance tells the story of bawdy singer Lady Lou and the few too many men in her life.

Saloon owner Gus Jordan takes pretty good care of Lou and has sent quite a few diamonds her way. There’s more going on here that just the saloon business and Captain Cummings, a Federal agent posing as the director of the mission next store, is on the case.

Meanwhile, Lou’s former boyfriend Chick Clark is in prison and becoming concerned that Lou may not be faithful to him. So concerned that he threatens to kill her if she two-times him before he gets out.

Counterfeit money, a prison break, a stabbing, a shooting, and an invitation to “come up some time and see me” follow. One of Mae West’s best, filled with some of her best quips and double entendres.

NOTABLE: In 1996 this film was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

This motion picture received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

In October of 1933 the National Legion of Decency was formed. Legion officials cited Mae West and this film as major reasons for the need of this organization.

Personal Note: If you are a fan of Mae West, as I am, you will love some of her lines in this film. Here are some examples; “It was a toss up between whether I go in for diamonds or sing in the choir. The choir lost.”

“When women go wrong, men go right after them.”

Responding to meeting Serge Stanieff who says, “I am delighted. I’ve heard so much about you.” Her reply, “Yeah, but you can’t prove it.”

She Done Him Wrong (Universal Cinema Classics)

Mae West – The Glamour Collection (Go West Young Man/ Goin’ To Town/ I’m No Angel/ My Little Chickadee/ Night After Night)

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Released – June, 1952 

Directed By - George Cukor

Starring – Spencer Tracy (Mike Conovan), Katharine Hepburn (Patricia “Pat” Pemberton), Aldo Ray (Davie Hucko), William Ching (Collier Weld), Sammy White (Barney Grau).

Description – Pat Pemberton is a top female athlete in position to win a women’s golf championship. Only one problem, she has a domineering fiance and when he is around, flustered is the word of the day.

Pat’s fiance would like her to forget the whole athletic thing and get married. However, this is not something she wants to do. In an effort to get some help changing his mind she enlists the aid of  somewhat shady sports promoter Mike Conovan.

Recognizing a good thing when he sees it, Mike becomes Pat’s manager and tries to hide his rather dubious past. But, that’s not so easy. Enter mobsters, a jealous boxer, and the fact that they are actually starting to like each other.

With Tracy and Hepburn, good chemistry equals good comedy!

NOTABLE: This motion picture received an Oscar nomination for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay.

Quite a few notable athletes show up in cameo roles here including golfers Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Helen Dettweiler, and Betty Hicks, as well as tennis players Don Budge, Alice Marble, and Gussie Moran.

This was the seventh of nine films that paired Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Katharine Hepburn has stated that this was her favorite.

In real life, Katharine Hepburn was an avid golfer.

This film marked the debut of Chuck Connors.

Pat and Mike

The Hepburn & Tracy Signature Collection (Woman of the Year / Pat and Mike / Adam’s Rib / The Spencer Tracy Legacy)

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Released – May, 1952 

Directed By - Richard Fleischer

Starring – Charles McGraw (Det. Walter Brown), Marie Windsor (Mrs. Frankie Neall), Jacqueline White (Ann Sinclair), Gordon Gebert (Tommy Sinclair).

Description – Mrs. Frankie Neall, a mob boss’ widow, is on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles to testify before a Grand Jury. Not everyone wants her to get there.

Assigned to protect her is Det. Walter Brown, who has a not too flattering opinion of Frankie. As he describes her: “She’s the sixty cent special. Cheap. Flashy. Strictly poison under the gravy.” He’s going to have his hands full.

How bad does the mob want her dead? Before even boarding the train, Det. Brown’s partner is murdered and the deadly cat-and-mouse game is on. Knowing the mob is following them, Det. Brown stays close to Frankie and soon becomes suspicious of a couple they encounter on the train.

But, is everybody who they claim to be, and with danger in every rail car there’s nowhere to hide.

NOTABLE: This film was nominated for the Best Writing, Motion Picture Story Oscar.

The film was shot in 13 days with only a few seconds actually onboard a train.

Personal Note: This is a great B-Movie from the film noir genre, or any other genre. In fact, this is probably one of the better films produced in the 1950′s. Action, suspense, well-acted, great camera work, and direction. Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor (two film noir legends) do a great job.

The Narrow Margin

Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 2 (Born to Kill / Clash by Night / Crossfire / Dillinger (1945) / The Narrow Margin (1952))

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