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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)

Passed | | Drama, History, War | November 1944 (USA)
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo Poster
In the wake of Pearl Harbor, a young lieutenant leaves his expectant wife to volunteer for a secret bombing mission which will take the war to the Japanese homeland.

Director:

Writers:

(screen play), (based on the book) (as Captain Ted W. Lawson) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
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Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Ted Lawson
... David Thatcher
Tim Murdock ... Dean Davenport
... Charles McClure
Herbert Gunn ... Bob Clever (as Gordon McDonald)
... Ellen Lawson
... 'Doc' White (as Horace McNally)
... Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle
John R. Reilly ... 'Shorty' Manch
... Bob Gray
... Davey Jones
... Lieut. Randall
... Lieut. Miller
William 'Bill' Phillips ... Don Smith (as Wm. 'Bill' Phillips)
... 'Brick' Holstrom
See full cast »
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Storyline

The amazingly detailed true story of "The Doolittle Raid" based on the personal account by Doolittle Raider Ted Lawson. Stunned by Pearl Harbor and a string of defeats, America needed a victory - badly. To that end, Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, a former air racer and stunt pilot, devises a plan for a daring raid on the heart of Japan itself. To do this, he must train army bomber pilots to do something no one ever dreamed possible - launch 16 fully loaded bombers from an aircraft carrier! Remarkable in its accuracy, this movie even uses film footage from the actual raid. Written by KC Hunt <khunt@eng.morgan.edu>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

aircraft carrier | japan | doolittle raid | air attack | army air corps | See All (37) »

Taglines:

Heart-Warming Romance . . . Stark, Sensational Drama! Thrills! Action! Adventure! ...Ripped From The Heart! See more »

Genres:

Drama | History | War

Certificate:

Passed | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

November 1944 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Treinta segundos sobre Tokio  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$2,900,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,297,000, 31 December 1944

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,200,000, 31 December 1944
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show more on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

It should be remembered that the names of the crew of the Ruptured Duck and most of the military men in this films. Are the actual names of the men who were in this raid. See more »

Goofs

Near the end, a Pilot says he's from Pittsburgh, but no true Pittsburgh person would ever pronounce the Monongahela River as "Monongaheeeeela". See more »

Quotes

Ellen Lawson: Oh, Ted, I'm going to write you a letter every day you're gone. I know they won't deliver them. I won't even mail them, but I'm going to write them anyway. That way we'll kind of be in touch. That way we'll feel close.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Forecast (1945) See more »

Soundtracks

The Star-Spangled Banner
(1814) (uncredited)
Written by Francis Scott Key
Sung in Chinese by students
See more »

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User Reviews

Great WWII Flick!
12 August 2004 | by – See all my reviews

I felt this was a great movie. Having read "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again" by Jimmy Doolittle, I am happy to report that the film's storyline is very much like the events actually unfolded. I thought that Vance Johnson did a great job with "Lawson" as well as his supporting cast. The special effects for the film seem to be ahead of their time. The flying, bombing, and ship sequences are very good for the 1940's. Although some of the characters may seem "campy" (especially Cpl. Thatcher) with today's movie characters, they do reflect the way that movies were made during WWII. It is nice just to see the B-25's that they used in the film since not many exist anymore. If you ever get a chance to see one in person I would suggest doing so; it really gives you a sense of what these brave men actually dealt with on a daily basis. This movie is a must see for any history buff.
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