Movie Cosmos - December 7th

Description:

"Docudrama" about the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 and its results, the recovering of the ships, the improving of defense in Hawaii and the US efforts to beat back the Japanese reinforcements.

Top Cast >

Walter Huston

As Uncle Sam 'U.S.'

Harry Davenport

As Mr. 'C'

Dana Andrews

As Ghost of US sailor killed at Pearl Harbor

Paul Hurst

As World War I Ghost Soldier

George O'Brien

As Single Voice of the Dead Servicemen (voice)

James Kevin McGuinness

As Narrator (voice)

Philip Ahn

As Shinto Priest (uncredited)

Addie Allen

As Self (uncredited)

Ralph Byrd

As Reporter (uncredited)

James Conaty

As Wounded Officer (uncredited)

Emperor Hirohito of Japan

As Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Adolf Hitler

As Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

James E. Kelley

As Self (uncredited)

Mrs. James E. Kelley

As Self (uncredited)

Mrs. William J. Leight

As Self (uncredited)

William J. Leight

As Self (uncredited)

'Ducky' Louie

As Hawaiian Boy (uncredited)

Robert Lowery

As Pvt. Joseph L. Lockhart (uncredited)

Benito Mussolini

As Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Irving Pichel

As Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Joseph B. Poindexter

As Self (uncredited)

Henry L. Rosenthal

As Self (uncredited)

Mrs. Henry L. Rosenthal

As Self (uncredited)

Lionel Royce

As Mr. Hanneman (uncredited)

William R. Schick Jr.

As Self (uncredited)

Mrs. William H. Schick

As Self (uncredited)

William H. Schick

As Self (uncredited)

Karl Swenson

As Machine-Gunner (uncredited)

Mrs. Stephen Szabo

As Self (uncredited)

Stephen Szabo

As Self (uncredited)

Jesus A. Tafoya

As Self (uncredited)

Mrs. Jesus A. Tafoya

As Self (uncredited)

Charles Tannen

As Mike - Landing Field Officer (uncredited)

H.N. Wallin

As Self (uncredited)

Top Crew >

John Ford

Director, Producer

Gregg Toland

Director, Director of Photography

Robert Parrish

Editor

Budd Schulberg

Writer

Alfred Newman

Original Music Composer

Reviews:

talisencrw (8/10)

This was solid. Recently I have taken an interest in both the propaganda films and wartime documentaries of World War II from both sides. I especially wanted to see this, since I love Ford's 'They Were Expendable' so much. Definitely worth the effort to find if you have a similar inclination for the material.

I have always wondered if a truly 'objective', 'unbiased' documentary can be made. Simply the decisions a director makes in what to capture and what not to makes such a gesture impossible, doesn't it? I especially feel this is the case when it comes to nationalistic documents, such as this.

I have NO idea what its competition was, but this deservedly won Ford an Oscar for Best Documentary: Short Subject--this was a fine work he was well to be proud of.

2016-07-16