Main Cast: John Wayne, Patricia Neal, Ward Bond, Scott Forbes, Philip Carey
Release Year: 1951
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
Plot
If one is a subscriber to cable TV's American Movie Classics, it is virtually impossible to avoid seeing the John Wayne starrer Operation Pacific; judging by the frequency of its showings, the film must be someone's very special favorite down at AMC. Set during WW II, the film casts Wayne as Duke Gifford, two-fisted submarine commander. Patricia Neal co-stars as Mary Stuart, Duke's former wife. Duke's hopes of staging a reconciliation are constantly interrupted by a series of life-threatening circumstances, capped by the rescue of a group of orphans from a Japanese-held island. Featured in the cast are old John Wayne cronies Ward Bond and Jack Pennick, as well as TV's future Jim Bowie, Scott Forbes. Operation Pacific might prove a fascinating companion feature to 1964's In Harm's Way, which reteamed John Wayne and Patricia Neal in another WW II Navy yarn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Paul Picerni - Jonesy; Kathryn Givney - Cmdr. Steele; Martin Milner - Caldwell; Cliff Clark - Comsubpac; Jack Pennick - The Chief; Virginia Brissac - Sister Anne; Vincent Fotre - Soundman; Lewis Martin - Squad commander; Louis Mosconi - Radarman; Sam Edwards - Junior; Michael St. Angel - Lt. Jorgenson; John Baer - Figher Pilot; Bob Carson - Torpedo Officer; Gail Davis - Virginia Blithe; Chris Drake - Sparks; James Flavin - Mick, Shore Patrol commander; Gordon Geberl - Tommy Kirby; Ray Hyke - Talker; Gayle Kellogg - Herbie; Al Kikume - Hawaiian; Brett King - Lt. Ernie Stark; Harry Lauter - Freddie; Richard Loo - Japanese Flyer; Bob Nash - Quartermaster; Carl Saxe - Shore Patrolman; Bill Self - Helmsman; Milburn Stone - Ground Control Officer; Harlan Warde - Admiral's aide; Steve Wayne - Rafferty; Dick Wessel - Mess Sergeant; Mack Williams; Carleton Young - Instructor; Keith Larsen; William Campbell - The Talker
Credit
Leo K. Kuter - Art Director, George Waggner - Director, Alan Crosland, Jr. - Editor, Max Steiner - Composer (Music Score), Gordon Bau - Makeup, Bert Glennon - Cinematographer, Louis Edelman - Producer, Francis J. Scheid - Sound/Sound Designer, George Waggner - Screenwriter
Operation Pacific is a 1951 World War II submarine film starring John Wayne and directed by George Waggner. The technical advisor for this film was Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, the actual Commander, Submarine Forces, Pacific (COMSUBPAC) during World War II.
Plot
The executive officer aboard USS Thunderfish, Lieutenant Commander Duke Gifford (Wayne), assumes command of the boat when the skipper (Ward Bond) is killed. A scene where the crew solves a complex torpedo performance-design problem is based on fact, as are many others. The scene where Commander Perry (Bond) is killed in a surface action is a combination of two incidents involving Commander Howard W. Gilmore, captain of USS Growler. Mortally wounded on the bridge, Gilmore gave the order "Take her down", sacrificing himself to save his ship and crew, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The ramming/sinking of the armed freighter depicted in the scene occurred on an earlier patrol prior to Gilmore's death.
