Main Cast: Cary Grant, John Garfield, Alan Hale, Dane Clark, John Ridgely
Release Year: 1943
Country: US
Run Time: 135 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
Though its purely propagandastic aspects are never far from surface, Destination Tokyo must rank as one of the most intelligent and objective of wartime thrillers. Cary Grant is a tower of strength as Captain Cassidy, skipper of an American submarine bound for Tokyo harbor. Its mission: to allow a Navy meterologist to survey Japanese weather conditions, in preparation for a major Allied assault. Many of the individual incidents in Delmar Daves' script are based on fact, notably an episode in which a pharmacist's mate is called upon to perform an emergency appendectomy. Admittedly, some of the secondary characters are WWII stereotypes, but they're never played that way. Particularly good isDane Clark, in his first important screen role; also registering well as a radio man is John Forsythe, in his first screen role ever. From the sub's embarkation in San Francisco to its climactic retreat from Japan, there's not a single solitary dull moment in the 135 minutes of Destination Tokyo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Although modern audiences may find many of the situations in Destination Tokyo rather clichéd, it's still a gripping submarine thriller. Tokyo is also a bit long, but the problem isn't that sections of the film drag; it's that it feels like the creators tried to get too much into the story. This isn't such a problem in the first half, where director Delmer Daves and writers Steve Fisher and Alfred Maltz spend time letting the audience get to know the large cast of characters and learn about life aboard a submarine. (Of course, this being Hollywood, the submarine is glamorized in terms of space, equipment, etc.) It does become a problem in the latter half of the film -- the "meat" of the picture -- when there are too many action sequences one right after the other. There are other glitches as well, such as the fact that some of the characters are a bit clichéd and that some of the timeline is seriously askew (although the latter will probably be recognized only be avid war historians). Many will find fault with the propagandistic aspects of the film, particularly a lengthy "letter home" sequence (which is apparently often deleted from many prints). Fortunately, Tokyo's cast helps to overcome these flaws, especially Cary Grant, who is aces as the man who holds both the submarine and the film together. He gets excellent support from John Garfield, Dane Clark, Alan Hale and Robert Hutton. And even with its faults, Tokyo manages to keep the viewer involved and engaged, even if he already knows the outcome. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Warner Anderson - Executive; William Prince - Pills; Robert Hutton - Tommy Adams, "The Kid"; Peter Whitney - Dakota; Tom Tully - Mike; Faye Emerson - Mrs. Cassidy; Warren Douglas - Diving Officer; John Forsythe - Sparks; John Alvin - Sound Man; Bill Kennedy - Torpedo Officer; William Challee - Quartermaster; Whit Bissell - Yo Yo; John Whitney - Commanding Officer; George Lloyd - Chief of Boat; Maurice Murphy - Toscanini; George Anderson - Officer; Warren Ashe - Major; Harry Bartell - Crewman; Danny Borzage - Crewman; Lane Chandler - CPO; Cliff Clark - Hornet's Admiral; Angel Cruz - Japanese Bombardier; Benson Fong; John Forrest; Roland Got - Japanese Officer; Kirby Grant - Captain at Briefing; William Hudson - Crewman; John Hudson - Radio Man; Ted Jacques; Paul Langton - Crewman; Eddie Lee; James B. Leong - Japanese; Robert Lowell - Radio Operator; Jack Mower - Admiral's Aide; Paul Parry; Hugh Prosser - Pilot; Bernie Sell; Charles Sherlock; Mark Stevens - Admiral's Aide; Charles Sullivan - Crewman; Frank Tang - Japanese Pilot; Charles P. Thompson - Rear Admiral; Jay Ward - Crewman; Pierre Watkin - Admiral; Bruce Wong - Japanese Antenna Man; Duke York - Crewman; Carlyle Blackwell - Man on phone; Alan Wilson - Crew Member; George Robotham - Crewman; Jimmy Evans; Michael Daves - Michael Cassidy; John Sylvester; Charles Anthony Hughes - Navy Air Officer; Cy Malis; Sailor Vincent; Russ Whiteman - 1st Class Yeoman; Joy Barlowe - Wolf's girl; Wing Foo - Japanese at Listening Post; Herbert Gunn - Lieutenant; William Hunter - Market St. Commando; Mary Landa - Tin Can's girl; Lou Marcelle - Narrator; Dorothy Schoemer - Saleslady; Wally Walker
Credit
Leo K. Kuter - Art Director, Delmer Daves - Director, Christian Nyby - Editor, William Lava - Composer (Music Score), Franz Waxman - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Perc Westmore - Makeup, Bert Glennon - Cinematographer, Jerry Wald - Producer, Walter F. Tilford - Set Designer, Lawrence W. Butler - Special Effects, Richard Van Enger - Special Effects, Willard Van Enger - Special Effects, Robert B. Lee - Sound/Sound Designer, Delmer Daves - Screenwriter, Steve Fisher - Screenwriter, Albert Maltz - Screenwriter, Steve Fisher - Book Author
On Christmas Eve, the submarine USS Copperfin, under the command of Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant), departs San Francisco on a secret mission. At sea, Cassidy opens his sealed orders, which direct him to proceed first to the Aleutian Islands to pick up meteorologist Raymond (John Ridgely), then to Tokyo Bay to obtain vital weather intelligence for the upcoming Doolittle Raid.
Two Japanese planes attack; both are shot down, but one pilot manages to parachute into the water. When Mike (Tom Tully) goes to pick him up, he is stabbed to death. New recruit Tommy Adams (Robert Hutton) shoots the pilot, but because he was slow to react, Tommy blames himself for Mike's death and volunteers to defuse an unexploded bomb stuck under the deck. When Mike is buried at sea, Greek-American Tin Can (Dane Clark) does not attend the service, which angers the other men until he explains that every Allied death causes him great pain.
As the submarine nears Tokyo Bay, the Copperfin has to somehow negotiate its way through protective minefields. When some Japanese Navy ships enter the bay, Cassidy follows in their wake. That night, a small party goes ashore to make weather observations. Meanwhile, Tommy is diagnosed with appendicitis. Pills, the medic, has to operate following instructions from a book, using improvised instruments. (There were actually a few emergency appendectomies performed in the course of wartime submarine patrols.)
Raymond broadcasts the information in Japanese in an attempt to avoid detection, but the Japanese are alerted and search the bay. Fortunately, the Copperfin remains undetected, allowing the men to watch part of the raid through the periscope. The submarine then slips out following an exiting ship.
Later, the Copperfin sinks an aircraft carrier and is badly damaged by its escorts. In desperation, Cassidy attacks, sending a destroyer to the bottom and enabling the crew to return safely to San Francisco.
The film had some impact: when the crew of a World War II-submarine in the 1951 movie Operation Pacific is given the treat of seeing a submarine-movie, it is this film they are shown. The film influenced Ronald Reagan (according to his autobiography) in his decision to accept the lead, as a World War II-submarine captain, in the 1957 movie Hellcats of the Navy. Also, Cary Grant once again starred as a World War II-submarine captain in the 1959 movie Operation Petticoat, which in its turn led to a television series. The film's screenwriter, Albert Maltz, was later brought before The House Committee on Un-American Activities on the premise that some lines of dialogue in the film reflected Communist sympathies.[1]
References
^ Eliot, Marc. Cary Grant: The Biography. New York: Aurum Press, 2005. ISBN 1-84513-073-1.
