While the planes these American war heroes supposedly have the face and teeth of tigers painted on them, it is very apparent that they look more like sharks. As these military men of the United States protecting the Chinese from invasions of the Japanese, they are involved in combat even before the attack on Pearl Harbor. John Wayne is the jovial commander of the base, in love with nurse Anna Lee (of "General Hospital" fame) and dealing with a brash newcomer (John Carroll) whose arrogant presence is upsetting the other men. Carroll can't be described as a team player; In fact, he takes it upon himself to make his own rules without regards to the consequences. In spite of all that, Wayne remains on his side even though he's breaking a lot of rules. But when one of Wayne's men is killed (after being grounded due to issues regarding a lack of depth perception) while covering for Carroll (out on a dinner date with Lee), the Duke has had enough, and prepares to send Carroll back. Then, December 7th occurs, and the mission that they were previously on becomes more complicated.
Not much different than other war stories about the Pacific, but lacking in some of the clichés that made others trite and stereotypical. Wayne is extremely likable, Lee an absolute delight, and the Chinese children she is taking care of totally adorable. Her description of the plight they went through to get through to her is very moving. Carroll's performance is a mix of arrogance, tenderness and insecurity, his cockiness obviously hiding a lack of self-esteem and ability to be part of an important team. The combat sequences are well filmed with some bloodiness thrown in to make them more realistic. This helps make the "Why We Fight" message of the film seem less obvious and results in a genuine crowd pleaser.
Not much different than other war stories about the Pacific, but lacking in some of the clichés that made others trite and stereotypical. Wayne is extremely likable, Lee an absolute delight, and the Chinese children she is taking care of totally adorable. Her description of the plight they went through to get through to her is very moving. Carroll's performance is a mix of arrogance, tenderness and insecurity, his cockiness obviously hiding a lack of self-esteem and ability to be part of an important team. The combat sequences are well filmed with some bloodiness thrown in to make them more realistic. This helps make the "Why We Fight" message of the film seem less obvious and results in a genuine crowd pleaser.