Yes, this is an interesting film, especially for anyone who is interested in the U. S. Navy, in action, in the Pacific, during WWII. The Japanese would almost certainly have lost, regardless of the outcome of this, or any other naval battle in the Pacific, during WWII (due to deficiencies in their system of command), but, that doesn't mean that they didn't put up a fight--and sometimes it was one helluva fight, too! This is a good, solid film about them knocking one of our carriers, out of action, late in the war (when they were already losing badly, especially due to the B-29 incendiary bombings that were starting to burn all of their major cities, to the ground). And we had plenty more carriers, by then, that they didn't knock out of action. (Who can go up against an industrial giant, that can build 24 fleet carriers, in the same time that you build one???) But, nevertheless, they are an honorable people, and nation, and they fought valiantly, sometimes fearsomely, nonetheless--often causing great Allied casualties, in the process. So, it wasn't so easy, for the U. S. to triumph (especially in the beginning of the Pacific War), and this movie is a classic example, of some of the difficulties faced by our servicemen (and women, though not so much, in this particular movie), in order to triumph, in the end. In the same vein, I also immensely enjoyed James Cagney's depictions of Admiral William "Bull" Halsey's command, during the height of the Guadalcanal campaign, in the movie, Gallant Hours. And I also enjoyed watching the 1943 movie, Guadalcanal Diary, when I was a kid, back in the 50's and 60's (which, in my opinion, featured William Bendix's most serious, and memorable role, as a young, supporting actor--in that desperate fight!) I would like to see a movie made about the actions of Admiral Willis Lee, on the battleship George Washington, during the night when it sank the pride of the Japanese Navy, the battleship Kirishima, during the last major naval engagement, fought over Guadalcanal (which was briefly mentioned in the movie Gallant Hours). Admiral Lee admitted that everything in the Japanese Navy was as good as in the U. S. Navy, except for one thing--his battleship had radar--and he knew how to use it (unlike many of our cruiser commanders, in previous engagements, which were sometimes unmitigated disasters, as a result!) That was his only advantage, that and his unexpected approach with his heretofore undetected large capital ship, in a narrow channel. The enemy wasn't expecting him, and when they did spot and begin shelling the battleship South Dakota, they weren't expecting to find a second U. S. monster, in those narrow waters, and they never saw him coming--until he was at point blank range--and opened fire! By then, it was too late...
Review of Battle Stations
