For the time this was made, this is an amazing effort. While the combat sequences are not perfect, when this was made many films were still using military props that date back to World War 1. At least this one appears more current. This full length one has all the objectionable stuff that had to be cut for the award winning short version.
In a way, a lot of the later versions of this story owe things to this one. Up until Tora Tora Tora, this is a better telling of the attack than other efforts. There are errors and there is some great points about the peace that existed before the attack and the Japanese Propaganda after it. There is racism, is that goes with the era this was made. People want to forget that the races stayed separate in the American Military until after World War 2.
It is interesting that the film points out that the Japanese Propaganda after the attack claimed credit for sinking the US Carrier Enterprise which luckily was out at sea when the attack happened. This was wishful thinking as the American Carriers were the ships that if they had been there and sank, would have crippled the American war effort in the Pacific for months.
A major error is in the morning services before the attack. The minister makes a speech saying that December 7th is the third Sunday of Advent. There is no way that is possible as that Sunday would be December 14th. Obviously the service is either staged, or shot on December 14th. There is some good factual information in this movie that makes it a good film to watch.
On the 75th Anniversary of the attack in 2016, Turner Classic Movies ran this unedited version directly ahead of Tora Tora Tora, a smart thing to do as it is the best double feature describing that day. I like the touches of the censorship here on the radar equipment and some other parts that were sensitive intelligence when this movie was made.
In a way, a lot of the later versions of this story owe things to this one. Up until Tora Tora Tora, this is a better telling of the attack than other efforts. There are errors and there is some great points about the peace that existed before the attack and the Japanese Propaganda after it. There is racism, is that goes with the era this was made. People want to forget that the races stayed separate in the American Military until after World War 2.
It is interesting that the film points out that the Japanese Propaganda after the attack claimed credit for sinking the US Carrier Enterprise which luckily was out at sea when the attack happened. This was wishful thinking as the American Carriers were the ships that if they had been there and sank, would have crippled the American war effort in the Pacific for months.
A major error is in the morning services before the attack. The minister makes a speech saying that December 7th is the third Sunday of Advent. There is no way that is possible as that Sunday would be December 14th. Obviously the service is either staged, or shot on December 14th. There is some good factual information in this movie that makes it a good film to watch.
On the 75th Anniversary of the attack in 2016, Turner Classic Movies ran this unedited version directly ahead of Tora Tora Tora, a smart thing to do as it is the best double feature describing that day. I like the touches of the censorship here on the radar equipment and some other parts that were sensitive intelligence when this movie was made.