December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Award-winning documentary produced in 1943 by the United States Navy, in conjunction with the U.S. War Department. This film-- directed by the inimitable John Ford, though he once admitted that cinematographer Greg Toland was responsible for it-- is the heavily censored 32 min version, not the 82 min released in 1991 (the Navy had confiscated the original and then released the censored film because they believed certain scenes and themes to be damaging to public morale). The recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor intertwined with the newsreel footage is really quite impressive, so much so that Navy brass were reportedly fooled by it upon initial viewing.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Various shots of damaged US fighter planes, hangars, and USS Arizona, post-attack on Pearl Harbor. CU letter from Secretary of War Henry Stinson, stating that the War Dept. would be happy to sponsor a film such as this; ditto the Secretary of the Navy.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
FO/FI on low angle MS of palm trees; LSs Hawaiian tropical scenics (sleepy valleys, lagoons, mountains, etc). MSs Uncle Sam (WALTER HUSTON), tired of all the talk of war, taking a siesta in a tropical bungalow, a newspaper on his lap decreeing that FDR meets with Sec. Knox. WLS Honolulu, Diamondhead.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
TLSs American military personnel (including member of US Marine 1st Marine Defense Battalion) on base patrol or riding atop freight trains. TLS sign at main entrance of Hickam Field, cars and trucks entering; followed by WLS airfield, planes parked before hangars. EST shots Pearl Harbor, naval cruisers docked or sailing sluggishly (nice shot local man in FG, hacking at ground w/ machete as a naval destroyer sails in BG). LSs sleepy Hawaiian streets & ports. MS American ground crew working on bomber. MS sailors (dressed down blue jackets) tossing a baseball around. MS/CUs field mass being conducted, chaplain giving sappy oratory to uniformed sailors about being away for Christmas and sending Hawaiian-themed presents to loved ones back home; C/As fresh-faced sailors.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
MS/CUs Army Pvt. Joseph L. Lockhart (if this is indeed him, and not an actor) working at a temporary aircraft warning station (note the CENSORED blackout over the monitor and some of the equipment he s manning); the Private observes a large squadron of planes headed to Oahu, calls up HQ to confirm; HQ dismisses it, says they re expecting B-17s from the mainland; tilt U to clock on wall, 7:20 AM.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
TLS Aloha Tower. WLS/LSs squadrons of Japanese fighter planes in flight, intercut w/ MSs American ground crews and sailors at work, occasionally looking up at them.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
EST shot State Building in Washington, DC; MS/CU office door of the Secretary of State.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
LSs "Japanese" fighter planes in flight amongst puffy clouds; LS fighters flying through misty mountain valley, over Waikiki Beach. Nice LS/TLSs Japanese fighter bombers in flight among clouds, diving, dropping bombs; VO says "hell broke loose, man-made hell, made in Japan".
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
TLS explosion at Hickam Field. Great shot fighters flying low over airfield, explosions and burning rows of American planes. LS explosions at Wheeler Field, rows of parked fighters; nice shot Jap fighters flying over smoldering airfield, American sailor firing Tommy gun at them; MSs American pilot clamoring to fighter, being cut down by Jap gunfire; MS sailor firing Tommy gun into sky; great LSs Jap fighters flying low, guns blazing.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
LS base at Kaneohe, fighters dropping bombs; LS/MSs mass service, sailors turning towards attack (chaplain tells the men to "man their battle stations, God bless"). TLSs Jap fighter flying over smoke, dropping bombs, firing bullets; LS hangar exploding. MSs US sailors lining up for machine gun bandoliers, firing guns at attacking planes, some falling dead to the tarmac, others ducking bullets, removing bombs and machine guns from incapacitated planes.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: LS fighters bombing USS Arizona; MSs sailors on board ship as it is bombed; (actual) LS battleship exploding; MSs sailors taking battle stations, arming guns and turrets; LS USS Oklahoma being bombed, MS crew running on deck, into explosion; MS/CUs crew of USS California assuming battle stations, returning fire, being hit (includes MS African-American sailor firing machine gun, being hit, Caucasian sailor taking turret-- I don't think the Navy was integrated at this point); LSs Jap fighters attacking, divebombing, firing;
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor: LS USS Cassin, USS Downes & USS Pennsylvania under fire, exploding; (actual) LS battleship engulfed in flames; MSs sailors running from smoky fiery engine room, squawk-box telling them to abandon ship; (actual) footage smoldering ships in harbor, rescue pontoons and unharmed cruisers sailing in harbor during aftermath. TLS USS Oglala smoking. (Actual) panning LS smoky civilian area. LS/MS Hawaiian citizens running from burning buildings. MS shirtless Hawaiian child crying, pointing just past camera. CU elderly Hawaiian couple peering into sky. CU sign outside hut: Consulate-General of Japan, Honolulu; MSs consulate being interviewed by slick American reporter-- consulate denies it is an attack by Japan; reporter tosses barbs, doesn t get the scoop; hammy acting, dialogue.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Second attack phase: TLSs soldiers racing past smoldering planes on tarmac; MS/CUs sailors & soldiers firing anti-aircraft machine guns (ack-ack) at planes; TLSs ship artillery firing; TLS Jap fighter being hit, going down; more shots fighters swooping, attacking; (actual) LSs smoky harbor, ships; TLS USS Nevada sailing, TLS Jap fighter dropping torpedo, TLS Nevada being struck, then beached; (actual) LS enormous plumes of black smoke rising from struck battleships; TLSs fighter plane bieng hit, crashing to ground; (actual) LS of destroyer exploding in harbor;
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
LSs Jap fighters leaving the island. (Much of the following, though not all, is actual footage): LS/MSs smoldering Jap fighters on ground, broken in sea and drifting to shore; remnants of fighters hoisted via crane; dead Jap pilot floating in sea. TLSs Japanese two-man submarines (Tojo Cigars) beached on shore. Traveling shots (taken from rescue boat sailing in harbor) of crippled, smoldering, battered and beaten United States naval fleet. LSs battered airfields, fiery wrecks of planes, rescue crews at work. MSs dead and wounded American servicemen being attended to by rescue crews. MSs dead sailors on stretchers being carried away (recreation).
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
MS fresh grave, American flag and wreath there. Photo of Robert R. Kelly, US Army, cut to MS Mr. & Mrs. James E. Kelly in living room w/ photo of dead son, Robert. Photo of Alfred Rosenthal, US Navy, cut to Mr. & Mrs. Henry Rosenthal looking at newspaper in living room. Photo of Theodore Zabol, US Marines, cut to MS Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Zabol standing outside home. Still Moses Allen, US Navy, cut to CU mailbox of Addie Allen of Cove, NC, cut to MS Addie at laundry line (the Allens are African-American, again postulating the harmony to which the segregated races entered the war effort). Photo of James Layton, US Navy, cut to MS Mr. & Mrs. William J. Layton posing on porch. Photo of Antonio Estafoya, US Army, cut to MS sign (ALBUQURQUE CITY LIMIT), cut to MS Mr. & Mrs. Jesus Estafoya. Photo of Lt. William R. Schick, US Army Medical Corps, cut to MS Mr. & Mrs. William H. Schick, cut to MSs wife Lois Schick and son Billy, born three months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
LS/MSs memorial ceremony at cemetery in Hawaii, honoring American servicemen who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor; positioning of American flags on graves. Traveling shot (backwards) under several palm trees.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
FO/FI map of Japan, illustration of radio antenna popping up from mainland; American character actor recreates a radio message issued by Premier Gen. Hideki Tojo announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor and the losses inflicted there.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
VO refutes the charges: TLS USS Arizona half-submerged under water, American flag flying from deck; LSs USS Utah capsized in harbor; LSs USS Oklahoma capsized in harbor; LS damaged USS California, Nevada & West Virginia, followed by MS Capt. H. N. Waltham, US Navy, Bureau of Ships, Expert on Salvage & Repair, walking onto deck of ship. LS/MSs crowd of civilian factory workers milling towards plant; MS Hawaiian & white machinist working in factory (racial harmony, again). LS/MSs engineers & workers salvaging ships damaged in attack on Pearl Harbor. Great MSs sailors donning early underwater equipment, complete with U.S. Navy Mark V diving helmet (heavy, windowed metal helmets w/ connecting air hoses) and diving suit jumping into water, welding submerged hulls of damaged ships; ends w/ excellent MS of weary sailor having Mark V diving helmet removed while another pal hands him a much-deserved cigarette.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Traveling shot damaged USS California, followed by LS refloated California being towed to dry dock (drydock). LSs USS Nevada & West Virginia (VO makes point to state the old age of the ships, deflecting cause for alarm had they been newer vessels). LSs refurbished ships sailing from drydock and out to sea. LSs battleships sailing, firing turrets. WLS righted and refloated minelayer USS Oglala sailing in harbor; TLS submerged vessel after attack; LS vessel being refitted in dry dock.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
Animated illustration of radio tower emerging from Japan, "Tojo" dispensing more propaganda regarding the attack on Pearl Harbor. Panning WLS naval convoy sailing to Hawaii. MS sailors walking down plank with rucksacks. LSs freight being unloaded from ship, lowered to dock littered with oil drums. LS/MSs soldiers marching along dock. MS guard on duty in sandbag bunker.
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
MS Governor of Hawaii JOSEPH POINDEXTER in office, signing martial law decree. Traveling TLS row of stores w/ glass taped to prevent shattering. TLS heavily fortified electric waystation. High angle wide LS large pile of barbed wire. LSs various public & private buildings fortified w/ barbed wire. LSs concrete shelters being constructed. TLS air raid warning system, cut to excellent TLS/MSs schoolchildren (mix of races & nationalities, here) on air raid drill, walking from school and along winding trenches; fantastic MSs schoolchildren donning gas masks in field outside school. Great MSs Hawaiian storeowners removing or painting over Japanese signs and letterings, "removing every vestige of the Japanese word". MSs closed Japanese language schools & Shinto temples. Great MS storeowner removing hanging sign for "The Banzai Caf ", rechristening it "The Keep Em Flying Caf ".
December 7th - Attack on Pearl Harbor
MS unadorned Aloha Tower, cut to Tower smeared in camoflague war paint. TLS Lurline luxury liner pulling into port while band plays on dock.LS beachgoers on Waikiki Beach, MS two children playing in sand, barbed wire fortification in BG. TLS man walking along deserted urban street in Hawaii. Var. shots homes at dusk, under blackout decree. "The End" card.