Alert in the Pacific

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
German title Alert in the Pacific
Original title The Fighting Seabees
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1944
length 96 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Edward Ludwig
script Borden Chase
Æneas MacKenzie
production Albert J. Cohen
music Walter Scharf
camera William Bradford
cut Richard L. Van Enger
occupation

Alarm in the Pacific is a 1944 American war film directed by Edward Ludwig .

action

Contractor Wedge “Bill” Donovan carries out orders for the US Navy during World War II . His workers build runways for airfields on the Pacific islands at risk of death , because the construction crews are unarmed, and regular Japanese attacks cause repeated deaths.

He no longer wants to accept this fact. In talks with Captain Robert "Bob" Yarrow and his girlfriend Constance Chesley, who is responsible for the Pacific news, he therefore demands weapons for his workers. Yarrow and Donovan visit Commander Joyce in Washington, DC the next day to address this issue. The only solution is the creation of construction battalions under the leadership of the Navy. However, up to four months of military training are required for this. Donovan angrily rejects this proposal.

Donovan and Constance share a love-hate relationship that turns into true love over time. This, of course, creates tension with Yarrow. During a mission on the Pacific island X214, another Japanese attack occurs. Donovan brought his own weapons and gave them to his workers. He orders to stand up to the Japanese, getting in the way of the navy's warfare and thus responsible for many workers dead. When Constance is also shot and Donovan gives her assistance, they both confess their love.

Yarrow no longer accepts Donovan's behavior, both work and personal. He orders him to accompany him to Washington, DC. There Donovan agrees to the establishment of construction battalions and is immediately appointed captain. The construction troops will in future be called " Seabees ". Meanwhile, Constance is torn between the two men.

During the next mission in the Pacific, an important oil storage facility is to be built. However, there are still a few Japanese snipers on site, who repeatedly claim fatalities. When the Japanese military launched a major offensive, the situation became critical. Donovan goes into a skirmish with his men without Yarrow's consent, which will bring him to court-martial. As the situation became more and more hopeless, Donovan made the decision to detonate an oil tank and thus push back the Japanese. He drives towards the tank with a construction machine and explosives, but is shot in the process and dies in the explosion that brings the Navy to victory.

Donovan receives all military honors posthumously , and Constance's necessary decision between the two men is invalid.

criticism

“Patriotic war drama in which a navy labor battalion fends off Japanese attacks on American defenses. Apart from individual performance, a below-average film. "

“Filmed in the middle of the war, 'The Fighting Seabees' was a huge box office hit. The original title refers to the so-called Construction Battalions, which were attached to the Navy as armed construction troop units. The name is derived from the (English pronounced) letters 'c' (si) and 'b' (bi). In the subplot of the war film, lead actor John Wayne falls in love with Susan Hayward, who plays Connie, the friend of his superior, and who participates in the epilogue at the ceremony of the posthumous presentation of the Medal of Honor to Donovan.

- Video.de

Awards

Academy Awards 1945

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Alert in the Pacific. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ^ Alarm in the Pacific ( Memento from May 1, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) video.de