In Harm's Way
In Harm's Way | |
---|---|
Directed by | Otto Preminger |
Screenplay by | Wendell Mayes |
Based on | Harm's Way 1962 novel by James Bassett |
Produced by | Otto Preminger |
Starring | John Wayne Kirk Douglas Patricia Neal Tom Tryon Paula Prentiss Brandon deWilde Jill Haworth Dana Andrews Henry Fonda |
Cinematography | Loyal Griggs |
Edited by | George Tomasini Hugh S. Fowler |
Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 165 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $4,500,000 (US/Canada rentals)[1] |
In Harm's Way is a 1965 American
The setting of the film is the entry of the United States into World War II. It depicts the lives of several U.S. naval officers based in Hawaii and their wives or lovers. The title of the film comes from a quote from an American Revolutionary naval commander:
I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way.
The film presents a relatively unromantic and realistic picture of the
.Plot
After several months of desk duty ashore in Hawaii and recuperation from a broken arm he suffered in the attack on his cruiser, Torrey finds his way into a romance with a divorced
In the summer of 1942, Torrey is promoted to rear admiral and given tactical command of Skyhook, an assignment requiring the same sort of guts and gallantry he previously displayed as commanding officer of his cruiser. He personally selects Paul Eddington to be his Chief of Staff, and infuriates Broderick by immediately planning and executing an operation to overrun Gavabutu, an island to be used as a staging base for the invasion of Levu-Vana. This proves unexpectedly easy as the Japanese have withdrawn their garrisons from Gavabutu. As Torrey turns his attention to Levu-Vana, his attempts to secure more materiel and manpower are frustrated by General Douglas MacArthur's simultaneous and much larger campaign in the Solomon Islands. Reconnaissance aircraft prove especially difficult to come by, and surface combatant forces amount to little more than several cruisers and destroyers, including Torrey's former command.
Meanwhile, Eddington's instability drives him to rape navy nurse Annalee Dorne who is engaged to Torrey's son. The traumatized nurse, fearing she might be pregnant, commits suicide with an overdose of sleeping pills. As the truth is about to be revealed, Eddington – still a qualified aviator – commandeers a PBJ patrol bomber and flies solo on an unauthorized reconnaissance flight to locate elements of the Japanese fleet. He goes down in a fiery death in a redeeming act of sacrifice, giving advance warning of a large Japanese task force centered around the super-battleship Yamato, on its way to blast Torrey's much smaller force off the islands.
Despite the new seaborne threat, Torrey nevertheless mounts the invasion of Levu-Vana and proceeds with a full attempt to turn back the enemy force. Tragically, his son Jere is killed during a nighttime PT boat action. The following morning sees a pitched surface action off the shores of Levu-Vana, with the Americans drawing first blood and the Yamato decimating much of the U.S. force in response. Severely injured at the height of the battle, Torrey is rescued by his flag lieutenant, William "Mac" McConnell, and is returned to Pearl Harbor aboard a hospital ship under Maggie's devoted care. Expecting to be court-martialed, Torrey is instead congratulated on successfully repelling the Japanese advance and allowing his Marines to take Levu-Vana.
Cast
- John Wayne as Captain (later Rear Admiral) Rockwell W. "Rock" Torrey USN
- Kirk Douglas as Commander (later Captain) Paul Eddington, USN
- USNR
- Tom Tryon as Lieutenant (junior grade) (later Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commander) William "Mac" McConnell, USN
- Paula Prentiss as Beverly McConnell
- Brandon deWilde as Ensign (later Lieutenant (junior grade)) Jeremiah Torrey, USNR
- Jill Haworth as Ensign Annalee Dorne, Nurse Corps, USNR
- Dana Andrews as Vice Admiral B. T. "Blackjack" Broderick, USN
- coastwatcher
- Burgess Meredith as Commander Egan T. Powell, USNR. Powell was based on Commander (later Rear Admiral) Gene Markey, USNR
- Franchot Tone as the CINCPAC (Commander-in-Chief Pacific) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, based on Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, USN.
- Patrick O'Neal as Commander (and former U.S. Congressman) Neal Owynn, USNR
- Carroll O'Connor as Commander (later Captain) Burke, USN. Burke was based on, and named after, Captain (later Admiral) Arleigh Burke.
- Chief Petty OfficerCulpepper, USN
- James Mitchum as Ensign Griggs, USN
- Lieutenant Colonel Gregory, USMC
- Bruce Cabot as Chief Petty Officer Quoddy, USN
- Barbara Bouchet as Liz Eddington
- Tod Andrews as Captain Tuthill, USN
- Larry Hagman as Lieutenant (junior grade) Cline, USN
- Stewart Moss as Ensign Balch, USN
- Richard Le Pore as Lieutenant (junior grade) Tom Agar, USN
- Chet Stratton as Ship's doctor
- Soo Youngas a tearful woman
- Dort Clark as Boston
- Phil Mattingly as PT Boatskipper
- Henry Fonda as a later CINCPAC, based on Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN.
Uncredited cast
- Yankee Chang as Mortuary clerk
- Fritz Ford as Man at Mess Tent
- Christopher George as Sailor
- Jerry Goldsmith as Piano Player
- Hal Needham as USAAC officer in the Blue Lagoon Bar
- USAACMajor (Liz Eddington's lover)
Background and production
It has been speculated that Wayne's low-key performance was due to the fact that he was seriously ill with lung cancer when the film was made. Shortly after filming ended in September 1964, he was diagnosed with the disease[4] and a month later underwent surgery to remove his entire left lung and two ribs. Co-star Franchot Tone was soon to also develop lung cancer and died of the disease in September 1968.
Many of the non-military costumes and hairstyles worn by the women throughout the film were contemporary to the mid-1960s period during which the film was made, rather than of the early 1940s. This is particularly noticeable at the dance which opens the film. Many of the extras in this scene were, in fact, current active duty military officers and their spouses assigned to various commands on Oahu.
The film was shot in black-and-white by Loyal Griggs, who composed his scenes in a wide-screen Panavision format[5] often using deep focus. Griggs was nominated for a Best Cinematographer Academy Award for his work. Jerry Goldsmith's musical score is also notable, as is the work of Saul Bass in the credit titles sequence (this sequence comes at the end of the film, a departure at the time from the norm in a major Hollywood production).
The film received extensive cooperation from the
One of many problems encountered during production was that at the time of the filming (mid and late 1964), very few ships then in active Navy service resembled their
Another anachronism is the widespread use of the
, as the few that existed were not available for use.Reference near the start of the film is mentioned to the "picket destroyer Ward" dropping depth charges what she believes to be a submarine near the entrance to Pearl Harbor. This refers to USS Ward which dropped depth charges on what has since been established to be a Japanese two-man mini submarine. The incident appears in the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!. USS Ward was sunk by kamikaze action in December 1944.
George Tomasini, one of the film's editors, died months before the film was released.[6]
Reception
In Harm's Way was nominated for the 1965 Academy Award for Cinematography (Black-and-White) for cinematographer Loyal Griggs.[7] It was also screened at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition.[8]
Patricia Neal received a 1966
Critical response
The film received mixed reviews from critics. The film holds a 37% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews.
See also
References
- ^ This figure consists of anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Big Rental Pictures of 1965", Variety, 5 January 1966 p 6
- ^ "In Harm's Way". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
- ^ Variety film review; March 31, 1965, page 6.
- ^ "In Harm's Way: Articles". In Harm's Way. Turner Classic Movies.
- ^ Stephen Shearer. Patricia Neal: An Unquiet Life. University Press of Kentucky. p. 362.
- ^ "In Memoriam". The Film Daily. Wid's Films and Film Folk Incorporated. November 1964. p. 12. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Awards database Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: In Harm's Way". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
- ^ Allmovie Awards
- Fandango Media. Retrieved June 14, 2023., with an average rating of 5.10 out of 10.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (April 7, 1965). "Movie Review – In Harm's Way". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ "In Harm's Way (1965) - Otto Preminger | Review | AllMovie". www.allmovie.com. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
External links
- In Harm's Way at IMDb
- In Harm's Way at the TCM Movie Database
- In Harm's Way at AllMovie
- In Harm's Way at the American Film Institute Catalog