I always had misgivings about this movie which I saw sometime on TV in the early 90's. For some reason to me, it didn't seem logical that Cary Grant, of all people, could successfully captain a submarine. Boy, was I wrong. Gone is "Judy, Judy, Judy", and in are mannerisms that make him perfect in this role, if not for that role. He is charming, as usual, but is extremely understated than normal. The light comedian comes out at times, of course, but his oh so recognizable speech pattern doesn't overpower his characterization. He is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast. I always thought that Dane Clark was brought into Warner Brothers to be another John Garfield, but after seeing them bickering at each other, they were nothing alike. Garfield was cocky but likable, while Clark was a bit tougher and more cynical. Alan Hale, as the cook, is his usual gregarious self, and a very young John Forsythe is recognizable in a small role.
There are some wonderfully suspenseful moments involving Japanese mines and the plane explosions, like in "Air Force", are most frightening. One thing that made me a bit uncomfortable were a few speeches of the downside of Japanese life, particularly their treatment of women and the taking of five year old boys to begin their military training. Still, they were much more subtle than presentations of the Japanese as monsters in other World War II movies spouting such silly lines as "OK you Yankee Doodle Dandies, Come and Get Me!" To understand World War II propaganda, one must try and face the facts that not all portrayals of our enemies were totally true. The true danger in the Axis were seeing them as cultured individuals who were capable of great atrocities. Somehow, the Germans got better treatment in the movies than the Japanese did; Their villainy was always revealed to be hidden under the facade of civility and great manners. (Check out Conrad Veidt in "All Through the Night" as evidence of that.) The Japanese were unfortunately usually presented as Barbarians. But for those who like their war villains getting their just reward, take notice of the Japanese pilot who is ungrateful to his American saviors and turns to cheese in the Swiss method after making his ingratitude known to an unfortunate American soldier who has tried to pull him up out of the Pacific. Also, have fun listening to Tokyo Rose who war predictions will turn out to be absolutely false.
When Cary Grant says, "I hear that a lot of Japanese are happy to die for their emperor. A lot of them are going to be very happy", I felt a bit uncomfortable. As much as I like to see the enemy stopped, I don't like to see any civilizations being slaughtered because of political differences. Movies like this do make me proud to be an American as long as true American values of peace and prosperity are available to all people. "Destination Tokyo" has great detail of showing life during war on a submarine where men of all walks of life became brothers to fight a battle they truly believed in.
There are some wonderfully suspenseful moments involving Japanese mines and the plane explosions, like in "Air Force", are most frightening. One thing that made me a bit uncomfortable were a few speeches of the downside of Japanese life, particularly their treatment of women and the taking of five year old boys to begin their military training. Still, they were much more subtle than presentations of the Japanese as monsters in other World War II movies spouting such silly lines as "OK you Yankee Doodle Dandies, Come and Get Me!" To understand World War II propaganda, one must try and face the facts that not all portrayals of our enemies were totally true. The true danger in the Axis were seeing them as cultured individuals who were capable of great atrocities. Somehow, the Germans got better treatment in the movies than the Japanese did; Their villainy was always revealed to be hidden under the facade of civility and great manners. (Check out Conrad Veidt in "All Through the Night" as evidence of that.) The Japanese were unfortunately usually presented as Barbarians. But for those who like their war villains getting their just reward, take notice of the Japanese pilot who is ungrateful to his American saviors and turns to cheese in the Swiss method after making his ingratitude known to an unfortunate American soldier who has tried to pull him up out of the Pacific. Also, have fun listening to Tokyo Rose who war predictions will turn out to be absolutely false.
When Cary Grant says, "I hear that a lot of Japanese are happy to die for their emperor. A lot of them are going to be very happy", I felt a bit uncomfortable. As much as I like to see the enemy stopped, I don't like to see any civilizations being slaughtered because of political differences. Movies like this do make me proud to be an American as long as true American values of peace and prosperity are available to all people. "Destination Tokyo" has great detail of showing life during war on a submarine where men of all walks of life became brothers to fight a battle they truly believed in.