Destination Tokyo (1943)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers:

Delmer Daves (screenplay)
Steve Fisher (story) ...

Release Date:

31 December 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Secret Mission | Japan | Naval Battle | Stabbing

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Capt. Cassidy
John Garfield	...	Wolf
Alan Hale	...	'Cookie' Wainwright
John Ridgely	...	Reserve Officer Raymond
Dane Clark	...	Tin Can
Warner Anderson	...	Andy, Executive officer
William Prince	...	Pills
Robert Hutton	...	Tommy Adams ('The Kid')
Tom Tully	...	Mike Conners
Faye Emerson	...	Mrs. Cassidy
Peter Whitney	...	Dakota
Warren Douglas	...	Larry, Diving officer
John Forsythe	...	Sparks - Sailor
John Alvin	...	Soundman
Bill Kennedy	...	Torpedo gunnery officer

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #9521) | Canada:G (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Portuguese Bend, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The appendectomy done in this film actually happened. It was performed on the USS Silversides SS236. Pharmacist's mate Thomas Mooere removed George Platter's appendix 150 feet below the oceans surface. Photographs of the surgery are on display where this submarine is docked, in Muskegon, Michigan at the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On Christmas morning, one of the crew mentions Christmas 1941 in the past tense, meaning that this is Christmas 1942 or later. After that, the boat supports Doolittle's Raid, which occurred 18 April 1942.

Quotes:

Reserve Officer Raymond: [during a depth charge attack] Captain, I'm no good.
Capt. Cassidy: Why's that?
Reserve Officer Raymond: I'm scared stiff.
Capt. Cassidy: How do you think the rest of us feel?
Reserve Officer Raymond: No, you're not scared. I've looked at your faces.
Capt. Cassidy: I've looked at yours, too. It's the same as the others.
Reserve Officer Raymond: You're scared?
Capt. Cassidy: I'll say I am. And so is everybody else.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hold Your Breath and Cross Your Fingers: The Story of 'Dark Passage' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Till We Meet Again

A great film

With all the stir over Bruckheimer and Bay's silly PEARL HARBOR action ride, you might want to see some more realistic and gritty war films. Among them should be the historical retelling of Pearl Harbor in TORA! TORA! TORA! and the Doolittle raid in THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO.

The Doolittle raid would not have been possible without the scouting job of the submarine that snuck into Tokyo bay to guide the plains in over the city. This film gives a rousing account of that mission as well as a beautifully done propaganda job to keep the troops and folks back home energized during the war.

The film still stands up well as a genuine action adventure. Definitely a movie for those who enjoy great film.