Wake Island (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Wake Island |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1942 |
| length | 87 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | John Farrow |
| script |
WR Burnett Frank Butler |
| production | Joseph Sistrom |
| music | David Buttolph |
| camera |
William C. Mellor Theodor Sparkuhl |
| cut |
Frank Bracht LeRoy Stone |
| occupation | |
| |
Wake Island is a 1942 American war film about the Battle of Wake Island in World War II.
action
In June 1941, two US Marine Corps units occupied the Wake Atoll between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands . One unit is the 211th Marine Fighting Squadron of Marine Aircraft Group 21, the other is a division of the 1st Defense Battalion. The units will be equipped with weapons and ammunition by the end of October. A total of 385 soldiers are ready.
The new commanding officer for maintenance and construction is civilian Shad McCloskey. McCloskey, who is skeptical of the military, oversees the construction of bomb shelters. Although there are many different nationalities within the team, there is good camaraderie. On December 7, 1941, a Japanese diplomat made his way to Washington after a visit to Wake Island. The same morning, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Wake is also attacked. Four American planes have to defend themselves against 24 Japanese planes. The Japanese withdraw after heavy losses. The remaining civilians are evacuated to the States by plane.
There is a deeper understanding of each other between McCloskey and the commanding officer, Major Caton. McCloskey now accepts orders from Caton to dig trenches. Caton has to inform the pilot Cameron that his wife was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. When Japanese battleships come into view, Caton doesn't fire them until they get close. Many of the enemy ships can be sunk or damaged. Cameron volunteers and attacks a battleship alone, which he can disable with a direct hit. His machine is damaged by Japanese fire, but he is barely able to land safely. However, he is so badly injured that he dies shortly afterwards.
The Japanese have now taken the nearby Gilbert Islands . Heavy artillery fire descends on Wake Island. Eight attacks are repelled for five days. Caton sends some of the men home on Christmas leave on December 21st. A full report of the fighting and a personal letter are also sent to his daughter.
When the only remaining pilot is killed and the ammunition depot is destroyed, the Japanese demand surrender. Caton refuses. The Japanese began the invasion of the island on December 23, 1941, which none of the Americans survived.
Reviews
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times wrote that the film seriously conveyed the losses the Leather Necks had to pay. The immortal bravery of the small naval garrison is told in harsh and bitter details.
Awards
In 1943 the film was nominated for an Oscar in the categories of Best Picture , Best Director (John Farrow), Best Supporting Actor (William Bendix) and Best Original Screenplay (WR Burnett and Frank Butler).
John Farrow won the NYFCC Award for Best Director from the New York Film Critics Circle .
background
The film premiered on August 11, 1942.
The Paramount Pictures production was shot in San Diego and on the Salton Sea in the Colorado desert . The studio began filming before the real battle for the atoll began.
The film is one of over 700 Paramount films shot between 1929 and 1949, the television rights of which were purchased by Universal Pictures in 1958 .
The film shows that the US soldiers and their commander did not survive the fight. In reality, the US forces under Commander Winfield S. Cunningham capitulated after the first wave of invasions.
Wake Island is considered to be one of the first US war films about World War II with battle scenes.
Web links
- Wake Iceland in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Review of the New York Times (English)
- ↑ Article at TCM (English)