During World War II (before I was born) my father was in the army and served in the campaign that went up through the boot of Italy and then over into Berlin in the closing weeks of the war. After the war he became a civilian, but then in 1952 reenlisted, but this time in the Air Force, where he remained until around 1968. Whenever he would come home on leave I would be stuck watching every old war movie on television, and going to any new war movie at the movie house. Perhaps as a result of over-exposure to war movies, it's a rare war movie that holds my interest. This is one of those rare movies.
First, it's a good story...based on the historical first raid on Tokyo during WWII.
More important to the movie are strong performances. This was the film that really made Van Johnson. And, indeed, it may be his best performance on film. Ironically, makeup covers up the scars from his terrible real-life auto accident in the first half of the movie. But after the plane crash is this film, they allowed the terrible scars on his forehead show very clearly Spencer Tracy plays Jimmy Doolittle, although he is in a supporting role here...supporting also in the sense of bringing one really big name to the production, thereby increasing box office. I usually think of Don DeFore as being pleasant though shallow, but he does very nicely here as part of the plane's crew who becomes severely injured. Phyllis Thaxter sweetly plays Van Johnson's wife. There's a young Robert Mitchum here in a small supporting role. And Benson Fong is very good as the young Chinese doctor.
I'll tell you how good this film is...there were a couple of scenes that brought tears to my eyes, and I don't think that has ever happened to me with a war film.
That's not to say it's a perfect movie. The scenes on the beach after the plane crash are poorly acted, perhaps ever hokey. But other than that, it's a great film.
First, it's a good story...based on the historical first raid on Tokyo during WWII.
More important to the movie are strong performances. This was the film that really made Van Johnson. And, indeed, it may be his best performance on film. Ironically, makeup covers up the scars from his terrible real-life auto accident in the first half of the movie. But after the plane crash is this film, they allowed the terrible scars on his forehead show very clearly Spencer Tracy plays Jimmy Doolittle, although he is in a supporting role here...supporting also in the sense of bringing one really big name to the production, thereby increasing box office. I usually think of Don DeFore as being pleasant though shallow, but he does very nicely here as part of the plane's crew who becomes severely injured. Phyllis Thaxter sweetly plays Van Johnson's wife. There's a young Robert Mitchum here in a small supporting role. And Benson Fong is very good as the young Chinese doctor.
I'll tell you how good this film is...there were a couple of scenes that brought tears to my eyes, and I don't think that has ever happened to me with a war film.
That's not to say it's a perfect movie. The scenes on the beach after the plane crash are poorly acted, perhaps ever hokey. But other than that, it's a great film.