|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Amazon.com
There is no more ringing title among World War II movies than Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, and the mission it celebrates was unquestionably historic: a 400-mile bombing raid to carry the war to Japan itself mere months after that nation's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. Yet the film is less memorable than many WWII pictures with less exalted factual basis. At the time, critic James Agee eloquently defined both its virtues and limitations as "a big-studio, big-scale film, free of artistic pretension ... transformed by its not very imaginative but very dogged sincerity into something forceful, simple, and thoroughly sympathetic in spite of all its big-studio, big-scale habits." That remains true today, but perhaps the movie--and its unimpeachably noble, admirably life-sized characters--wouldn't seem so stuck in the amber of a bygone era if Mervyn LeRoy and company had pumped a little "artistic pretension" into it.
Spencer Tracy--as James H. Doolittle, architect of the raid--rates the most towering screen credit, and he's superb. But his role's an extended cameo; the emotional core of the film is B-25 pilot Ted Lawson (Van Johnson) and his wife, Ellen (the glowing Phyllis Thaxter). Lawson's bestselling memoir (with Bob Considine) of his training for the secret mission, his group's launching from the aircraft carrier Hornet, and his crash landing and protracted ordeal in China--where he lost a leg--has been faithfully served. The film is long on homely detail and all-American decency (including a remarkably outspoken regret over the unavoidability of civilian casualties) but achieves its greatest impact in the raid itself. That sequence, in addition to boasting Oscar-winning special effects, is mostly shot in riveting silence. --Richard T. Jameson
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I lost my ship !,
By
This review is from: Thirty Sec.Over Tokyo (VHS Tape)
My father was a B-25 flight instructor in WWII. Jimmy Doolittle is part of the Holy Trinity in our house. The Doolittle Raid is burned into all family members at an early age. One of the first times I ever remember my mother laughing at my father's humor was when he was imitating Van Johnson standing in the surf crying, "I lost my ship ! I lost my ship !" What a great movie. Each year the Doolittle survivors meet at a different part of the United States in the spring for a reunion. There's less than twenty still alive. Their reunion weekend is open to the public with fees going to charitable events. GO. If you think their heroism is exaggerated over the decades, keep this is mind: A bomber had NEVER taken off from a carrier; for all they knew, every single plane was going to crash into the ocean. And every single crew knew that they were taking off too far away from Japan and that they would NOT reach the Chinese airbases. No one backed out. Amazing story. Great movie.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gut-wrenching book makes an EXCELLENT movie!,
By kimiiii (HYRUM, UT USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Thirty Sec.Over Tokyo (VHS Tape)
After the massacre of the Doolittle Raid storyline in "Pearl Harbor", this movie hits home even harder. Made the year after the actual event, the trials that Ted Lawson and his crew endured are unbelievable. If made today, the film would be much more graphic by showing just how injured Lawson was when he had to make his escape through China after crash-landing. In the book, he describes it well enough to make me shudder to this day. True to the cinematic style of the 40's, Ellen Lawson is a sweet and enduring woman, true to her man and concerned about her appearance. Having met the real Ellen, I can tell you that she is full of fire, personality, and even sweeter than the movie portrays. This movie gives you a glimpse into a portion of the Doolittle Raid, America's first retaliatory strike on Japan after Pearl Harbor. If you love this film, I would also recommend that you read the book for an even deeper appreciation of these heroic men, along with their Chinese friends who risked their lives to save them. Read anything and everything that CV Glines (Carrol V. Glines) has written about Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders. Some of the men didn't make it out of China... that book is called "Four Came Home" and it shook me to the core. There are only 18 Raiders still living and it's important that we recognize these little old men for the heroes that they were/are. Much thanks to Ellen Lawson for re-releasing this book so that another generation can read about her amazing husband and his friends who did so much for us, 61 years ago.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Story that Requires no Embellishment,
By Mark A. Fluegel (Des Moines, WA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Thirty Sec.Over Tokyo (VHS Tape)
It's simple. Many subjects for film stemming from WWII are so compelling that they need not be altered by Hollywood to be palatable to large audiences. Yet with a few exceptions, the film industry can't resist not letting a great story based in fact rest on its own merits. 30 Seconds over Tokyo is a rare and refreshing exception to this general rule. It is an extremely accurate and gripping tale of the April 1942 Doolittle raid. What a great opportunity was lost with the abysmal "Pearl Harbor" movie....was the true story not compelling enough? And to add insult to injury they turned the Doolittle raid into "Rambo 4"...2 injured bomber crewman slay 30 Japanese infantry with a .45! Please let me know when I can get "30 Seconds over Tokyo" on DVD. Why isn't it available on that format now???
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Movies & TV > Action & Adventure > Classics
- Movies & TV > Classics > Action & Adventure
- Movies & TV > Classics > Classic Stars > Robert Mitchum
- Movies & TV > Classics > Classic Stars > Spencer Tracy
- Movies & TV > Drama > Military & War
- Movies & TV > Military & War > Drama
- Movies & TV > Military & War > World War II
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
