In Harm's Way (1965)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Otto Preminger

Writers:

James Bassett (novel)
Wendell Mayes (writer)

Release Date:

6 April 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Stripped of everything - they lived and loved and fought as if there were no tomorrow...

Plot:

A naval officer reprimanded after Pearl Harbor is later promoted to rear admiral and gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese.

Plot Keywords:

Naval Officer | Pearl Harbor | Admiral | Nurse | Symbolic Castration

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

John Wayne	...	Capt. Rockwell Torrey
Kirk Douglas	...	Commander Paul Eddington Jr.
Patricia Neal	...	Lt. Maggie Haynes
Tom Tryon	...	Mac McConnell
Paula Prentiss	...	Beverly McConnell
Brandon De Wilde	...	Ens. Jeremiah 'Jere' Torrey
Jill Haworth	...	Ens. Annalee Dorne
Dana Andrews	...	Admiral Broderick
Stanley Holloway	...	Clayton Canfil
Burgess Meredith	...	Commander Egan Powell
Franchot Tone	...	Admiral Kimmel
Patrick O'Neal	...	Commander Neal Owynn
Carroll O'Connor	...	Lt. Commander Burke
Slim Pickens	...	C.P.O Culpepper
James Mitchum	...	Ensign Griggs

Runtime:

165 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Norway:16 | USA:Approved | West Germany:12 (f) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Hawaii, USA

Company:

Otto Preminger Films

Trivia:

The film's title comes from a quote by Revolutionary War captain John Paul Jones: "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way."

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: (01:53:20) When Ensign Annalee Dorne (Jill Haworth) and Captain Paul Eddington (Kirk Douglas) break away from the beach party she goes over a short rise in the beach, as he pursues her and calls out to her, "Hey Dorn!", you can see the shadow of a boom mic in the sand.

Quotes:

Captain Rockwell Torrey: We both know what's eating you, Paul. You can't wash it out with booze.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker (1991)

an interesting cast tackle the Japanese

Barbara Bouchet as Liz Eddington is the initial focus of this war movie, dancing wildly and parading herself before the officers while her husband Paul (Kirk Douglas) is away on duty. But 'In Harm's Way' isn't just her story, it is a number of personal stories interwoven with battle with the Japanese from Pearl Harbor onwards.

In the nominal lead is big John Wayne, drawling his way through the role of Rock Torrey as only he could. In war movies he was probably at his most effective as his whole bearing says 'I'm in charge'. He also has a personal life - a romance with croaky nurse Maggie (Patricia Neal, good as ever), and conflict with his sulky son Jere (Brandon de Wilde). Also in the cast are Stanley Holloway (as an Australian who leads the soldiers through dangerous terrain), Burgess Meredith (who has the memorable discussion about cowardice with Wayne), Dana Andrews, Franchot Tone, Henry Fonda, Bruce Cabot, Tom Tryon, George Kennedy, and James Mitchum.

This Otto Preminger film is as much about the lives of men at war as it is about battle sequences (although when they appear they are impressive). It also boasts an interesting sequence of shots over its end titles. Perhaps too long at two and a half hours plus, it nevertheless has a decent script, clever characterisations, and manages to keep the viewer awake.