Operation Pacific
| Operation Pacific | |
|---|---|
 Original theatrical poster |
|
| Directed by | George Waggner |
| Produced by | Louis Edelman |
| Written by | George Waggner |
| Starring | John Wayne Patricia Neal Ward Bond Scott Forbes Philip Carey |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Cinematography | Bert Glennon |
| Editing by | Alan Crosland, Jr. |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | January 27, 1951 |
| Running time | 111 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
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.
Contents |
[edit] 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 in the same action, just prior to Gilmore's death.
[edit] Production and Fun Facts
John Wayne and Patricia Neal did not get along during filming. Nearly fourteen years later, however, they worked together on In Harm's Way (1965) where she noted that he had mellowed a lot, possibly because he was seriously ill with lung cancer at the time. This movie's opening foreword and dedication states: "When the Pacific Fleet was destroyed by the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, it remained for the submarines to carry the war to the enemy. In the four years that followed, our undersea craft sank six million tons of Japanese shipping including some of the proudest ships of the Imperial Navy. Fifty-two of our submarines and thirty-five hundred officers and men were lost. It is to these men and the entire silent service that this picture is humbly dedicated." The problems with submarine torpedoes shown in the movie are accurate. A poorly designed and tested firing pin could malfunction on a good hit (that is, a torpedo striking within about 45 degrees of perpendicular to the side of the target). Poor hits (at a very sharp angle to the side of the ship) could often produce more reliable explosions. Finding the problem, while not performed by the submarine crews as shown, actually did occur in a similar manner.
[edit] Cast
- John Wayne as Lt Cmdr. Duke E. Gifford
- Patricia Neal as Lt. (j.g.) Mary Stuart
- Ward Bond as Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry
- Scott Forbes as Lt. Larry
- Philip Carey as Lt. (j.g.) Bob Perry
- Paul Picerni as Jonesy
- William Campbell as The Talker (as Bill Campbell)
- Kathryn Givney as Cmdr. Steele
- Martin Milner as Ens. Caldwell
- Cliff Clark as Commander, SUBPAC
- Jack Pennick as The Chief
- Virginia Brissac as Sister Anna
- Vincent Fotre as Soundman
- Lewis Martin as Squad Commander
- Sam Edwards as Junior
- Louis Mosconi as Radarman Mosconi
