Movie References: U.S.S. Arizona & U.S.S. Macon

Don Stauffer

Another great old movie with some shots of the tween the war period is Task Force, with Gary Cooper.  This movie is about the history of US Navy carrier forces, from the days of the Langley through WW2. .....................   The movie is based on career of a real Naval aviator.

 

Don,

Thanks for mentioning that movie !

I recall watching a Gary Cooper movie about the Langley , again over forty years ago, but did not remember the title.

I will check for that one, as well. 

Another great old movie with some shots of the tween the war period is Task Force, with Gary Cooper.  This movie is about the history of US Navy carrier forces, from the days of the Langley through WW2.  In order to use archival real footage of early stuff, the first part of the movie is  shot in black & white, suddenly shifting to color in the midst of a WW2 battle.  It is available on DVD.

It shows shots of the Saratoga (it could have been Lexington- don't remember for sure) going through the Panama Canal with biplane fighters on board.  Neat stuff.  Also, real historical people (Admiral Reeves and such) show up in the story.   The movie is based on career of a real Naval aviator.

jtilley:

Thanks for that tanalizing review of the U.S.S. Arizona scenes. 

Definitely gotta buy the movie now.

Though I recall seeing Gloria Stuart in the movie " Titanic" , I had forgotten she was the love interest in the Cagney movie as I had last viewed the movie at least forty years ago on tv.

I can't help but wonder what the actors and movie location crew were thinking about the U.S.S. Arizona and her crew after the attack on December 7th 1941. I would be surprised if the film crew and cast had not formed some sort of bond with those they met on the ship- even if career demands prevented socializing once filming ended. 

For model builders it's a terrific, fun movie - though the plot is silly and everything about it screams "1934." There are lots of good scenes that were filmed on board the Arizona - and a remarkable sequence inside one of the 14" turrets. (Paul Stilwell figures the moviemakers must have built a set on a Hollywood sound stage that was virtually identical to the real thing.)

One has to wonder how many of the officers and enlisted men visible in the group shots (check out the officers' hats in the scene when Cagney gets his medal) might still have been on board on December 7, 1941. (Probably not many, but it's a sobering thought.)

One bit of nautical movie trivia. There's a strong connection here between two of the most famous ship disasters in history. Sixty-seven years later Gloria Stuart, who played the love interest in "Here Comes the Navy," won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing the old lady in "Titanic." (Interesting link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Stuart .)

Very good to hear that comment, GM.

I hate to plunk down good cash on a bad movie when the money could be used for a model.

Absolutely wonderful. And I think most of the sailors are the actual crew too.