Hell in the Pacific (1968)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

John Boorman

Writers:

Reuben Bercovitch (story)
Alexander Jacobs (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 December 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

They hunted each other as enemies...they tormented each other as savages...they faced each other as men!

Plot:

During World War II, an American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain are deserted on a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. There, they must cease their hostility and cooperate if they want to survive, but will they?

Plot Keywords:

Island | Japanese | Pilot | Raft | Stranded

Cast

Lee Marvin	...	American Pilot
Toshirô Mifune	...	Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm mag-optical prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:G | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Airai, Babelthuap, Palau

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

Trivia:

Both Lee Marvin and Toshirô Mifune actually served in the Pacific during World War II, of course on opposing sides.

Quotes:

American Pilot: Oh, for a second I thought you were a Jap.

Movie Connections:

References Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

WW2 meets Cast away?

No. Not really. The differences are numerous: first off, the plot structure is much tighter and centers on the animal side of man, and HITP doesn't have CA's boring first and last acts to bog it down. Pitting Marvin against Kurosawa favorite Mifune was a great idea, but could have failed with a more conventional approach. Here we are introduced to both in a neutral way, free to prefer which ever one we choose to. Both actors do a fine job, playing mostly emotional and physical roles with great restrain and intelligence. Boorman's direction is perfect, rejecting excess stylization in favor of a subtle approach and relying on superb photography. You have got to see this at least once, simply because it is very philosophical without ever trying to be. Because it boasts top performances from two of the last century's greatest leading presences in action cinema. Because, though frustrating at first, the ending is, for once, the smartest one that could have been chosen. Humanity is on trial and the judges choose to be honest and pragmatic, thus delivering something that combines greatness and very thoughtful substance.