In Harm's Way

Otto Preminger's three-hour film set in the Pacific War. It begins on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor and follows the navy's regrouping over the months that follow. At the centre is a captain, Rockwell Torrey. A decision he takes during the attack costs him his command, and he is later given a new operation. What is interesting is that the film describes not the war but the structure of command. Who took which decision, who protected whom, and how rank separates people are constant subjects. In the side lines are Torrey's son, whom he has not seen for years, and his relationship with a nurse. It was shot in black and white, a deliberate choice at a time when colour production had become standard. John Wayne plays Torrey, Kirk Douglas his second and Patricia Neal the nurse. The cast is very large and made up of the period's known names. A solid example for anyone who likes war drama and large-ensemble classical Hollywood productions. It is long and slow; there is less naval combat than expected and most of the film takes place in rooms.