Destination Tokyo (1943)

In order to provide information for the first air raid over Tokyo, a U.S. submarine sneaks into Tokyo Bay and places a spy team ashore.

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Steve Fisher (original story), Delmer Daves (screen play)

Stars:

Cary Grant, John Garfield, Alan Hale

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cary Grant	...	Capt. Cassidy
John Garfield	...	Wolf
Alan Hale	...	'Cookie' Wainwright
John Ridgely	...	Reserve Officer Raymond
Dane Clark	...	Tin Can
Warner Anderson	...	Andy
William Prince	...	Pills
Robert Hutton	...	Tommy Adams
Tom Tully	...	Mike Conners
Faye Emerson	...	Mrs. Cassidy
Peter Whitney	...	Dakota
Warren Douglas	...	Larry
John Forsythe	...	Sparks
John Alvin	...	Sound Man
Bill Kennedy	...	Torpedo Gunnery Officer

Storyline

Made during World War II, this chronicles a voyage of a U.S. submarine on a secret mission to the very shores of Japan. Much of the film is spent developing the cast of characters that populate the sub.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine crew | u.s. military | dangerous mission | war propaganda | submarine | 

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Taglines:

Explosive ! . . . And As Big As The Broad Pacific !

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Genres:

Adventure | History | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Raymond's call to the USS Hornet in Japanese is "Tenki hokuku." The pronunciation is poor but it has been identified as meaning: "weather report".

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Goofs

In a fleet boat, there are at least 3 compartments (motor room, engine room, and after battery) between the after torpedo room and the control room. But in the flooded after torpedo room scene, when water is being emptied into the next compartment, the camera pans to give a look into that compartment, and we see the Captain, leaning on the chart table in the control room.

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Quotes

Capt. Cassidy: [Holding up the fuse mechanism of the Japanese bomb that Adams just defused] Got "Made in USA" stamped on it. The appeasers' "contribution" to the war effort.
Capt. Cassidy: [Hands it to the cook] Take it and stew it, Cookie.

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Connections

Referenced in Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist (1987)

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Soundtracks

O Little Town of Bethlehem
(1868) (uncredited)
Music by Lewis H. Redner
Lyrics by Phillips Brooks (1867)
Sung and Played by the submarine crew at Christmas

User Reviews

One of the Best of the World War Two Films

For those who hate America and think the Second World War was "useless", this will be a corny movie and propaganda. For the rest of us it is a classic of the very real heroism America's "silent service", the submarines, went through for years on and under the Pacific fighting Japanese militarism. In this case the submarine has to get into Tokyo Bay in April of 1942 to assist Doolittle's raiders (see "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo"). The cast is marvelous, and don't think for a moment a crew didn't feature characters from all parts of America, from Brooklyn to Texas. The warmth and togetherness of the crew was a very true depiction of life inside a WW II submarine. The special effects were certainly standard an acceptable by 1940's standards. Cary Grant is especially effective and touching as the captain. Recommended highly.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

31 December 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Destination Tokyo

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1