Midways bravura john ford moment was understated deadline. The battle of midway received the academy award for best documentary in 1942 because of its stark and harrowing footage of an actual world war ii battle. Hollywoods john ford was a navy officer who directed this and other films for the navy during ww ii. John ford was wounded by shrapnel while filming the battle and awarded the purple heart for his service. This is the original 1942 documentary about the battle of midway directed by john ford. Ford shot much of the footage for this world war ii film.
John fords the battle of midway 1942 digitally restored color. Seen briefly, the great john ford geoffrey blake who in the 1942 short the battle of midway documented the fighting at such close range that you can detect the film shaking in the. The battle of midway is een amerikaanse oorlogsdocumentaire uit 1942, geregisseerd door filmregisseur john ford, en verteld door acteur henry ford. This film is a straightforward retelling of the events in the first months of the war in the pacific beginning with pearl harbor and culminating in the battle of midway june 1942. The famed ww2 battle has been the subject of several films.
John fords the battle of midway is a propaganda movie. It is a montage of color footage of the battle of midway with voice overs of. World war ii film midway is middling roland emmerichs cgiheavy depiction of the wwii battle that turned the tide in the pacific isnt boring, but its familiar beats ensure its more a. The battle of midway is a 1942 american short documentary film directed by john ford.
The battle of midway and john ford internet archive. The film features operations of pby catalina flying boats as scouting aircraft, shots of the b17s which operated off midway during the battle, and the assault on midway itself. Elliot carlson talked about the key role played by u. The battle of midway was one of the most intense, bloody battles fought between the us and japanese miltary forces. Director john ford captures combat footage of the battle of midway. Francis ford coppola, guillermo del toro, john ford. It shows american heroism overcoming great obstacles while tugging at heartstrings by focusing on the ideals of mother, family and the hometown boy next door fighting bravely to defend america. The film was one of four winners for best documentary at the 1942 academy awards. June 2, 2017 codebreaking and the battle of midway. It is a montage of color footage of the battle of midway with voice overs of various narrators, including. John fords battle of midway dvd 1942 award winning documentary from world war ii.
Pacific war history buffs who would like to add john fords magnificent battle of midway to their dvd libraries may be interested to hear my opinion that the transfer from the original 16 millimetre film shot by ford during the japanese attack on midway atoll in june 1942 is. The film midway shows in graphic documentary style, the battle that did nothing less than save america and ultimately allow us to win world war ii. This was not a matter of luck, but extreme skill, perseverance, and. And his tombstone offers his final and ultimate descriptor. The battle of midway is a stirring, beautiful, and poignant 1942 american documentary film short directed by john ford. John fords the battle of midway a film made by accident. The battle of midway, directed by john ford, provides a relatively. When the base is attacked, ford was shooting film from atop a power plant and actual took a shrapnel wound. Hollywood director john ford and his cameraman shot the16mm color footage of the attack on midway island by hand. Battle of midway by john ford aircraft of world war.
It is a montage of color footage of the battle of midway with voice overs of various narrators, including johnny governali, donald crisp, henry fonda, and jane darwell. If the japanese had prevailed at midway, they might very well have taken hawaii and been blockading our continental pacific coast. Ford foiled the efforts of official censorship by showing roosevelts marine. Ford s film unit grew to 15 crews with over 200 officers and enlisted personnel, and operations around the. Most popular battle of midway movies and tv shows imdb. Midways bravura john ford moment was understated november 2019. As it turns out, midways bravura john ford moment was. The film features an international cast of stars including charlton heston, henry fonda, james coburn, glenn ford, ed nelson, hal holbrook, toshiro mifune, robert mitchum, cliff robertson, robert. War documentary the battle of midway dvd by john ford for. I am in command of the field photographic branch of the office of strategic services. John ford is widely regarded as one of americas greatest film directors.
The battle of midway 1942 documentary directed by john ford. The resulting short, the battle of midway, won one of four documentary oscars for 1942. At the end, however, his coffin was draped with the tattered u. Reiner bajo the first midway movie was a documentary shot by hollywood director john ford with cameramen jack mackenzie, jr.
He once had famously said, my name is john ford and i make westerns. The events leading up to the battle, the national and war leaders involved, and the critical events that lead to the outcome. Learn more about this statesponsored film in the docuseries five came back. A courageous attempt, john ford was injured and 2 of 3 cameras were destroyed during filming. Recollections of commander john ford, usnr, oscarwinning hollywood producer and chief of the field photographic branch of the office of strategic services oss, concerning his experiences making combat motion pictures under battle conditions. This dvd depicts the battle of midway, a crucial and decisive naval battle in the pacific theatre of world war ii. His film of the battle of midway subsequently became a popular movie feature. The film covers the attack on midway, some limited aerial footage, the search for survivors, and aftermath of the battle. The 1976 version featured henry fonda, who had served in the navy for three years during the war and was also one of the narrators of john fords midway documentary, as nimitz. Midway, released in the united kingdom as battle of midway, is a 1976 american technicolor war film directed by jack smight and produced by walter mirisch from a screenplay by donald s. A story of hollywood and the second world war, talked about john ford and the 18 minute documentary he made for the u. Midway is a 2019 american war film based on the attack on pearl harbor and the subsequent battle of midway during world war ii.
This documentary is actual footage of the battle of midway filmed and directed by john ford in the heat of the battle. The battle of midway is examined in this 50 minute documentary. In between, it also touched on doolittles raid on tokyo april 1942 and the battle of coral sea may 1942. And it wouldnt be a john ford movie without some of the most vivid combat cinematography you have ever seen, a touching and dramatic. Directed by john ford on a crappy 16mm handheld camera, with audio that sounds as though its gone through a washing machine, this short offers a unique look at one of the wars fiercest battles. With bluster and bravado, john ford helped birth modern documentary film in the famous battle. On hand was a crew of naval photographers directed by john ford.
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