Strong and Moving!

Good concept, poorly executed.

Absolutely amazing

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Great WW2 movie, the true story of the Doolittle Raid. Very realistic action. Very helpful that it was filmed in WW2, as they still had all the right planes and equipment around! Gritty, sticks pretty well to history, and doesn't overdo the patriotic, jingoistic angle.Good performances, especially from Van Johnson. Spencer Tracey is great as Lt Col Doolittle. Also features Robert Mitchum in an early role of his.Only negative is that it didn't know when to end. The raid should have been the end-point, but it continued with one crew's adventures after that. Though relevant, the adventure was too long-winded.Great movie on a great moment in history.

I was on the Air Force ROTC faculty at Cal Berkeley 1966 - 70 (the quiet years). In 1967 the Doolittle Raiders were having their 25th reunion at nearby Alameda Naval Air Station. Jimmy Doolittle was a Cal grad, so we invited him to present the "Doolittle Award" which we gave to our outstanding AFROTC cadet. He accepted on one condition - no prior publicity that he was to present the award. That was both a reflection of his humble nature and the realization that if the Cal hippies knew he was to appear they would turn out in droves to protest. Our offices were in the basement of Harmon Gym. Jimmy was very nostalgic about that location. While at Cal he was a wrestler and worked out in the gym. Jimmy shared a very humorous story with us. When the war broke out Jimmy was not young. He got a telegram from a compatriot about his age asking him how they could contribute to the war effort. At the time Jummy was training for the top secret operation. He sent a telegram back telling his buddy something like: "we have to leave the war to the younger generation." Shortly after the Doolittle raid, he got another telegram from his buddy. It read simply: "You SOB." Jimmy laughed as he told the story. For the reunion he invited me and one of our cadets to join the ceremony. That involved boarding the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, sailing out under the Bay Bridges and watching aircraft doing touch and go landings. Jimmay and his raiders were on board. One of the biggest disappointments of my life was that while in our office I had my picture taken next to Jimmy. Somehow the film was lost and I never got a copy for my scrapbook. Jimmy Doolittle was a genuine Greatest Generation hero. Courageous, humble, and patriotic. Those who were not around during World War II days cannot possibly imagine the unity that prevailed in our country. This movie captures much of that spirit. I highly recommend it, but wish they would make a movie of Jimmy's life.

Sturdy, determined Spencer Tracy (as James "Jimmy" Doolittle) organizes the US response to the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor. Mr. Tracy, and the film, make it obvious the Japanese stood no chance of besting our American forces. Note the number of men who respond to Mr. Tracy's repeated invitations to "drop out" of the dangerous mission. Despite Tracy's presence, the film stars Van Johnson (as Ted Lawson). Mr. Johnson's performance is, at times, reminiscent of a younger Tracy; in context, it's a little distracting. Still, Johnson essays the star-making sacrifice, begun by John Gilbert in MGM's "The Big Parade", effectively.Despite the big parade of men lining up to go fight in the actual war, MGM was able to find a great cast of available men; who were, presumably, persuaded to postpone enlisting. Among the servicemen, Robert Walker (as David Thatcher) is a clear stand-out. At home, Phyllis Thaxter (as Ellen Lawson) is sweet and refreshing. And, making the most of a small role would have to be Robert Mitchum (as Bob Gray). The story is very good, albeit heavily clichéd on film; it was based on the real Ted Lawson's story. Director Mervyn LeRoy's film version features fine music and photography. The highlight of "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" is the exciting, and well-constructed, title event.******* Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (11/15/44) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Van Johnson, Spencer Tracy, Robert Walker

All right, I'll admit it, this one makes me weepy every time I see it. Over-the-top MGM production values, first rate score, solid players and a literate script based on a thrilling true story and, voila', wartime cornpone at its best. The problems derive primarily from the cardboard characters, staunchly middle American archetypes generously contrasted against one-dimensional foreign stereotypes, the idealized missionary couple, the Chinese doctors, the Chinese civilians and guerrilla soldiers and the largely unseen Japanese. The facts of Doolittle's raid are well known, a daring, perhaps even foolhardy, attack on the Japanese homeland very, very soon after Pearl Harbor as a demonstration that they were, in fact, vulnerable and we could bring the fight to their shores. It is unlikely the bombing had any real effect on Japanese industrial capacity but at home, as a morale booster, it was a great success, the air crews and everyone associated with the raid rightfully hailed as heroes. But I suspect the real story is somewhat grittier than portrayed here. Van Johnson's Ted Lawson comes across as apple pie ala mode with nary a discouraging word, Spencer Tracy breezes through his unchallenging turn as Doolittle with little to do beyond stern and resolute and Robert Mitchum hits just the right note as a buddy pilot. Don DeFore supplies the comic relief which, of course earns him a painful fate on a China beach (he's lucky they didn't kill him off) and Robert Walker lards on the golly-gee-whiz. Phyllis Thaxter's performance as Ellen Lawson bears a warning: avert your eyes if you are susceptible to sugar diabetes. Rarely has the syrup run so thick. Still an enjoyable two and a half hours if you don't ask too much of it. Nary a shirker, nor a coward, nor a cynic to be found. If only war were this simple.