Karry Best movie of this year hands down!

SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

JohnHowardReid War and film noir occasionally do go together. Certainly such films as Bill Wellman's inexorably realistic The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) in which Burgess Meredith so memorably portrayed real-life war correspondent Ernie Pyle, Mark Robson's Home of the Brave (1949), and of course Fred Zinnemann's scorching, gritty From Here To Eternity (1953) would qualify; but most war pictures fall into the flag-waving, mindlessly silver-wrapped action bracket.Such a one is Otto Preminger's star-studded In Harm's Way (1965), which is only occasionally of interest when John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal, Tom Tryon and Brandon de Wilde are not on the screen and the more charismatic actors like Burgess Meredith, Stanley Holloway, Henry Fonda, Patrick O'Neal and Barbara Bouchet enjoy their brief innings. It's a pity Preminger was not able to cast himself in any role but a fleeting walk-through as a naval officer in the opening tracking shot at the dance. He actually dominates the movie's trailers which he both hosts and narrates.

Edgar Allan Pooh . . . must have been the most botched flick ever made about the infamous Japanese Sneak Attack which drew America into World War Two. As it turns out, there's at least one film lamer than that 2001 Josh Hartnett vehicle called IN HARM'S WAY. Some Bozo Director who specialized in making B-Movies about trashy trailer park murders concocts a phony baloney version of WWII's War in the Pacific which makes BATTLESHIP look authentic by way of comparison. In this bogus martial exercise, Emporer Hirohito's boys are defeated primarily due to alcoholic rapist Kirk Douglas' moment of rash remorse. Since Kirk's suicide reconnaissance flight would not have gotten off the ground had not Nurse Annalee honor-killed herself, SHE'S the one who should get the Medal for Winning WWII. Give John Wayne's son--lost on PT 108 1/2--an asterisk for helping to motivate his fiancée Annalee to off herself, and award one of those to Wayne's senior citizen squeeze Patricia O'Neal as well for dooming her naive young charge with nursery rhymes in lieu of sensible orders and supervision. Speaking of Patty, she and "The Duke" make extramarital sex look about as exciting as shuffleboard. Hopefully, John and Pat's final Hospital Ship trysting zone has such a game up on the deck, since that will be enough of a challenge for the pair now that John's down to one leg to stand on.

daviddaphneredding Even though it is 167 minutes long, how can anyone get jaded from watching this movie about the battle at sea only shortly after Pearl Harbor being attacked on 12/07/41? Shortly after the beginning of the movie is when that infamous yet unforgettable moment in history took place, and there is a sea battle toward the end of the movie. The movie is definitely star-studded with one of the most outstanding galaxy of stars ever amassed. John Wayne as Admiral Rockwell "Rocky" Torrey is the best Otto Preminger could have chosen for that role as a man dedicated to fighting passionately at sea. Kirk Douglas was a "perfect" pick for Commander Paul Eddington, a man you wanted to kill because of his mean, hostile spirit and, much more than this, because of some of the harmful things he did to others. The beautiful Paula Prentiss made a great acting accomplishment as Bev McConnell, and Tom Tryon seemed to click well with her as her husband Lieutenant William "Mac" McConnell. Patricia Neal was very appealing as the nurse Lieutenant Maggie Haynes. Brandon DeWilde was consummate as Ensign Jeremiah "Jere" Torrey. Slim Pickins, as CPO Culpepper was his same country-boy self, and the late very pretty English actress Jill Haworth was as adorable as adorable could be as Ensign Annalee Dorne. The movie was not simply a war drama, but there was just focus on the feelings and/or struggles of the characters. Maggie Haynes was so much in love with "Rocky" Torrey, and wondered if theirs would be a lasting relationship. Ensign Jere Torrey was the son of Admiral Torrey, but he was embittered with his father since Rocky had abandoned his family when Jere was only a year old. And too, there was a point when the relationship between Jere and Ensign Dorne was somewhat stormy. Bev McConnell was a maudlin worrier about her husband. Yes, there was introspection on feelings in this dramatic feat. The main thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was in black-and-white. The Pacific Ocean would have been more drawing in color, naturally. But overall, it was one of Preminger's best, a superb enactment of the book by the same name: the book was written by James Bassett. The music score by Jerry Goldsmith was somewhat haunting, but there was something about it I personally liked. Again, this story which focuses on people's individual struggles, as well as on war at sea, is not a bit boring. Paramount should be proud.

NewEnglandPat Otto Preminger's opus of the Pearl Harbor disaster and its aftermath of the U.S. military's preparation for war with the Japanese is also a story of the lives of enlisted personnel, their families and relationships that parallel the Navy's operations in the western Pacific that kicks off World War II. John Wayne is the central figure in the story as Captain Rockwell Torrey, who is faulted for not pursuing and engaging the Japanese fleet, thereby reassigned to desk duty. Kirk Douglas, always edgy and intense, is embittered as a result of the death of his unfaithful wife, which has tragic consequences later in the film. Patricia Neal is Wayne's romantic interest and they are very appealing as middle-aged folk that have another chance at love after previous marital failures. Brandon De Wilde is Wayne's aloof Harvard-educated son who faults Wayne for abandoning him as a child. The film has many diverse emotional threads as the characters cope with the war and their own tenuous relationships, professional and personal. As with most Preminger films, this one has an excellent cast, although Henry Fonda and Dana Andrews have brief roles. Wayne redeems himself in a taught sea battle with Japanese destroyers, with very nice special effects. The film is a fine mix of military warfare, romance, tragedy, family estrangement and redemption.