1941 (1979)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Robert Zemeckis (story) &
Bob Gale (story) ...

Release Date:

14 December 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

A Comedy Spectacular!

Plot:

Hysterical Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor.

Plot Keywords:

California | Pearl Harbor | Captain | Submarine | Upskirt

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars.

Cast

Dan Aykroyd	...	Sgt. Frank Tree
Ned Beatty	...	Ward Douglas
John Belushi	...	Capt. Wild Bill Kelso
Lorraine Gary	...	Joan Douglas
Bobby Di Cicco	...	Wally Stephens
Murray Hamilton	...	Claude Crumn
Christopher Lee	...	Capt. Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt
Tim Matheson	...	Capt. Loomis Birkhead
Toshirô Mifune	...	Cmdr. Akiro Mitamura
Warren Oates	...	Col. 'Madman' Maddox
Robert Stack	...	Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell
Treat Williams	...	Cpl. Chuck 'Stretch' Sitarski
Nancy Allen	...	Donna Stratton
Lucille Benson	...	Gas Mama (Eloise) (as Lucille Bensen)
Jordan Brian	...	Macey Douglas

Also Known As:

The Night the Japs Attacked (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

118 min | USA:146 min (director's cut) | West Germany:111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | German

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 (original rating) | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #25726) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

It took so long to set up the final shot of the house falling down that cast and crew members actually started a betting pool on what day and time the shot would actually begin filming. Dan Aykroyd won the bet.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kelso fires his machine guns while on the ground, the canopy on his plane is open, then closed, then we see him close it again.

Quotes:

Pvt. Ogden Johnson Jones: [laughing at Foley, who is covered in black powder] Hey, hey, hey, get to the back of the tank!
[laughs maniacally]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Spielberg on Spielberg (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Swing, Swing, Swing

Could have been so much more

I keep thinking that Spielberg should have let this one go. There is immense potential here, but not under his direction. If there has ever been a movie begging for a remake, this is the one.

A strong cast, a decent script, a good idea all the way around.

But Spielberg should have never directed this. He doesn't know how to handle such a large ensemble cast and, as we have seen from him since, he doesn't do will with comedy unless it is incidental humor in another project.

Don't get me wrong: I own this movie on DVD and I watch it every now and then. But, when one looks at something like Altman's "M*A*S*H" and then compare it to this... I can't help but feel sorry for "1941."

In the end the movie is worth seeing if just for John Belushi's performance as Wild Bill Kelso and for Toshirô Mifune's comedic (if, unfortunately, stereotypical) turn as the Japanese sub commander. However, do not expect this too be one of the classic comedies of all time. If you are looking for a truly good comedy poking fun at the insanity of war, then pick up "M*A*S*H."

Someone: Get the rights and remake this into a truly good movie!