In Harm's Way facts for kids

Quick facts for kids In Harm's Way
Theatrical release poster by Saul Bass
Directed by	Otto Preminger
Produced by	Otto Preminger
Screenplay by	Wendell Mayes
Starring	John Wayne Kirk Douglas Henry Fonda Patricia Neal
Music by	Jerry Goldsmith
Cinematography	Loyal Griggs
Editing by	George Tomasini Hugh S. Fowler
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	April 6, 1965 (1965-04-06)
Running time	165 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Money made	$4,500,000 (US/Canada rentals)

In Harm's Way is a 1965 American war movie directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Stanley Holloway, Burgess Meredith, Brandon deWilde, Jill Haworth, Dana Andrews, Franchot Tone, Henry Fonda. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures.

The film takes place as the U.S. involvement in World War II begins; it recounts the lives of several U.S. naval officers based in Hawaii. The title of the film comes from a quote from an American Revolutionary naval commander:

I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way.

The film presents a relatively unromantic and realistic picture of the American Navy and its officers from the night of December 6, 1941, through the first year of the U.S. involvement in World War II.

Cast

Background and production

John Wayne with Patricia Neal as a nurse in their earlier film together, Operation Pacific (1951)

Many of the non-military costumes and hairstyles worn by the women throughout the film were contemporary to the mid-1960s period during which the film was made, rather than of the early 1940s. This is particularly noticeable at the dance which opens the film. Many of the extras in this scene were, in fact, current active duty military officers and their spouses assigned to various commands on Oahu.

The film was shot in black-and-white by Loyal Griggs, who composed his scenes in a wide-screen Panavision format often using deep focus. Griggs was nominated for a Best Cinematographer Academy Award for his work. Jerry Goldsmith's musical score is also notable, as is the work of Saul Bass in the credit titles sequence (this sequence actually comes at the very end of the film, an interesting departure from the then norm in a major Hollywood production at the time).

The film received extensive cooperation from the U.S. Department of Defense, especially the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, with substantial filming occurring both aboard warships at sea and ashore at Naval Station Pearl Harbor (to include Ford Island) and Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay.

One of many problems encountered during production was that at the time of the filming (mid and late 1964), very few ships then in active Navy service resembled their World War II configuration of two decades earlier. Only one WW II-vintage heavy cruiser, the USS Saint Paul, still retained most of her wartime configuration (and as a result she stood in for a couple of unnamed cruisers during the movie) although she didn't enter service until 1943, and an accompanying destroyer, USS Philip, which entered service in 1942, took on the role of USS Cassiday were extensively filmed on. Other U.S. All of the destroyers had to have their modern (1960s) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) gear covered over with fake gun-mounts or deck houses.

Reception

In Harm's Way was nominated for the 1965 Academy Award for Cinematography (Black-and-White) for cinematographer Loyal Griggs. Patricia Neal received a 1966 BAFTA Film Award as Best Foreign Actress for her performance in the film.

See also

• List of American films of 1965
• John Wayne filmography