Hell in the Pacific (1968)

During World War II, an American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain are deserted on a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. There, they must cease their hostility and cooperate if they want to survive, but will they?

Director:

John Boorman

Writers:

Alexander Jacobs (screenplay), Eric Bercovici (screenplay)

Stars:

Lee Marvin, Toshirô Mifune

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lee Marvin	...	American Pilot
Toshirô Mifune	...	Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda (as Toshiro Mifune)

Storyline

During World War II, a shot-down American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain find themselves stranded on the same small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. Following war logic, each time the crafty Japanese devises something useful, he guards it to deny its use to the Yank, who then steals it, its proceeds or the idea and/or ruins it. Yet each gets his chance to kill and/or capture the other, but neither pushes this to the end. After a while of this pointless pestering, they end up joining forces to build and man a raft...

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Plot Keywords:

friendship between men | world war two | japanese | island | stranded on an island | 

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Taglines:

They hunted each other as enemies...they tormented each other as savages...they faced each other as men!

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Genres:

Adventure | War

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Lee Marvin and Toshirô Mifune actually served in the Pacific during World War II, of course on opposing sides. Marvin was a US Marine. He was wounded during the war and received the Purple Heart during the Battle of Saipan in 1944. Mifune served in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service.

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Goofs

Near the end of the movie, when Kuroda flips through the pages of the magazine, he repeats himself. In the close up he comes across the page filled with eyes, and then in the wider shot he again comes across that page.

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Quotes

American Pilot: How come you guys don't believe in God?

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Alternate Versions

American version featured an alternative ending where the two get drunk and walk off in separate directions arguing at each other; in the British version (which was exactly the same as the Japanese version), they start yelling and a bomb from the sky falls and blows everything apart.

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Connections

References Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

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Soundtracks

Down in the Cane Brake
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by Lee Marvin

User Reviews

Cain and Abel in a Land Primeval

This is a truly cinematic experience: character and plot develop through visual storytelling. The two characters can't even speak the same language, but compelling performances speak volumes to the audience. The often breathtaking scenery provides a dramatic contrast to the ugliness of Man's cruelty. Marvin and Mifune show Man is bound to 'return to where he started;' sin spoils moments of grace despite our noblest intentions. The devastating ending perfectly completed the metaphor of the film.

The primal setting (in Panavision) and "Twilight Zone" ending reminded me of "Planet of the Apes." Fans of the Boorman-Marvin director-actor collaboration must see "Point Blank." Those who don't like island-survival films with controversial endings should avoid "Limbo."

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

18 December 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hell in the Pacific

Filming Locations:

Airai, Babelthuap, Palau

Box Office

Budget:

$4,150,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Selmur Productions, Henry G. Saperstein Enterprises Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm mag-optical prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1