Midway

Synopsis: The summer of 1942 brought Naval stalemate to the Pacific as the American and Japanese fleets stood at even numbers each waiting for the other to begin a renewed offensive. "Midway" tells the story of this historic June battle where a Japanese carrier force, in an attempt to occupy Midway island and lure the American fleet to destruction, was meet valiently by US forces operating off of three aircraft carriers and numerous escort ships. It was the first battle in which naval air power was extensivly used, and at its conclusion the Japanese Carrier force had been completly destroyed which lead the way for the US 1943 and 44 offensives which would eventually bring the Pacific War to a close.
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Director(s): Jack Smight
Production: MCA Universal Home Video
 
IMDB:
6.8
Rotten Tomatoes:
54%
PG
Year:
1976
132 min
6,092 Views


Admiral Yamamoto, please.

He asked not to be disturbed.

- It is most urgent.

Admiral Yamamoto?

Tokyo has been bombed.

- When?

10 minutes ago. Yokohama, Kawasaki

and Yokosuka were also bombed.

His Imperial Majesty is unharmed.

I personally phoned the palace.

Damage? - Very little to Tokyo.

No reports from the other cities,

but it seems probable

that they too were barely scratched.

How did they do it, Watanabe?

They launched long-range

B-25 bombers from their carriers.

They came in at treetop level,

and were first seen over the city.

Tokyo... bombed!

Sir, I understand your concern

for the Emperor's safety, but...

You may speak freely, Commander.

- This raid is a blessing in disguise.

The Americans have

proven you correct.

Dur homeland is not invulnerable.

After today, the General Staff

will certainly approve

your operation M-I.

Lieutenant-Colonel Doolittle

led the raid with a force of 16 B-25s

and an all-volunteer crew of airmen.

Most of the planes carried

500-pound demolition bombs

and single incendiary clusters,

which were dropped on oil stores,

factories and military sites in Tokyo.

A few planes made minor strikes

on Kobe, Yokohama and Nagoya,

with one bomb hitting

the Japanese carrier Ryuko.

News of this raid has improved

American and allied morale,

while at the same time constituting

a blow to Japanese prestige.

Thanks, Sir.

At his press conference today,

President Roosevelt was asked:

"Can you tell us, where did

those planes start from and go to?"

He replied:

"Yes, the time has come to tell you.

They came from our new

secret base at Shangri-la... "

Well, my God, it's Captain Garth!

I was expecting some junior officer.

This is an unexpected honor!

Yeah, like hell it is, Joe!

Admiral Nimitz sent me over to...

- To chew my ass off, huh?

Dfficially, I'm supposed to question

your estimate of Japanese intentions.

Why so grim, Matt? Doolittle's attack

should've thrilled you CinCPAC people.

Not by a long shot.

That damn raid could boomerang on us.

We only got 4 carriers

in the Pacific. We need to rebuild.

Now the boss is afraid Yamamoto's

going to jump back at us. But where?

We got the latest intercepts here.

Here's a list of Japanese ships

we suspect will be assigned

to amphib operations south of Rabaul.

The Coral Sea! That's where

we think they'll strike next.

But something else is stirring,

something out our way.

We need facts, not guesswork.

Matt, we cracked Yamamoto's code,

but we can't just reel it off.

We get a flicker here

and a glimmer there.

How much can you decipher?

- Hell, 15, maybe...

Really decipher.

- Ten percent.

10 per... That's one word in 10.

For Christ's sake, you're guessing!

We like to call it "analysis".

Alright. What are these indications

that something's brewing out our way?

There's no hard clues yet.

- What do you have, Joe?

Increased radio traffic between

Yamamoto's commanders. - That's all?

Could be significant. At least

I feel that something's stirring.

Alright,

I'll take that list of Jap ships

you "feel" are headed for Coral Sea.

Nimitz may send Fletcher's task force

to see what's going on.

We'll see how your 10-percent

guesswork pays off, huh?

As a back-room code-cracker

I thank you, Matt.

Joe, could I ask you

something very personal? - Certainly.

It really stinks down here.

How often do your people take a bath?

Bath? God, I don't know...

What day is it?

Forget it, Joe.

Any new Yamamoto intercepts?

Here's a first mention of "A-F",

whatever that means.

A-F?

Captain!

Tom!

Dad...

My God, Tom.

When did you get in? I didn't know...

Last night. - This is beautiful. Why

didn't you write that you were coming?

I've been assigned to Kaneohe.

- Well, I'll finally see some of you.

Three years!

You look great, Tom.

- So do you, Dad.

Kaneohe, are you? What squadron?

- VF-8.

You'll like it. Your C.D. Used to be

my wing-man on the old Langley.

Could we talk somewhere?

Sure... Here.

I phoned you from Guam

the day you graduated.

Yeah, I heard later.

I'm sorry I missed the call.

I guess your mother was there?

Yeah.

- How is she?

Recovered from the divorce, I guess.

- That's good.

I was hoping maybe we could...

- Dad,

I've fallen in love with

a Japanese girl. I want to marry her.

I need your help.

I damn well guess you do, Tiger.

She's been arrested in Honolulu.

How did you manage that?

In San Diego and getting mixed up

with a Japanese girl in Honolulu?

She was a student in San Diego.

- And she was arrested here?

Her parents live here. She wouldn't

marry me without their permission.

Apparently, the FBI has something

on her folks, so they got picked up.

Well, that figures.

Haruko was born here.

She's as loyal as you or me.

Anyway, the minute I got in I went

to see where they're being held.

She wouldn't see me.

- Why not?

I don't know.

She and her parents will be sent

back to the mainland in a few days.

It sticks in your throat

that I want to marry a Japanese girl?

Sticks in your? Don't give me

that "racial bigot" crap.

I don't care what color she is.

- It's not the point...

Christ almighty!

6 months after Pearl Harbor!

Boy, you have lousy timing.

What's her name?

I'll see if I can get her FBI report.

I wrote it down for you:

Haruko Sakura.

But promise one thing:

Don't do anything stupid

till I see what I can get hold of.

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Donald S. Sanford

Donald S. Sanford (March 17, 1918 – February 8, 2011) was an American television, radio and film screenwriter. Sanford was known for his work on numerous television series, as well as his role as the author of the screenplay for the 1976 World War II film Midway, starring Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda, which became a cult classic. more…

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