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| The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kajiro Yamamoto |
| Special effects by | Eiji Tsuburaya |
| Written by | Kajiro Yamamoto |
| Produced by | Nobuyoshi Morita |
| Starring | Kaoru Ito Susumu Fujita Akitake Kohno Setsuko Hara |
| Cinematography | Akira Mimura Mitsuo Miura |
| Edited by | Fusao Hata |
| Music by | Seiichi Suzuki |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Film Distribution Corporation [ja] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Budget | ¥1 million[1][a] |
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya[b] is a 1942 Japaneseepicwar film directed byKajiro Yamamoto, with special effects byEiji Tsuburaya. Produced byToho and distributed byFilm Distribution Corporation [ja], the film ispropaganda produced with support from theNavy Ministry that was intended to influence the Japanese public into believing they could prevail in thePacific War.
The military reportedly converted the idea of adocumentary film on theattack on Pearl Harbor that featured special effects since it was difficult to record footage of the attack. Prior to the attack and Japan's subsequent entry into World War II, anImperial Japanese Navy official met Tsuburaya and requested the production of a film about the attack as soon as possible when the war broke out. Production took place from May to November 1942, on a record breaking budget of¥770,000.
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya was released on December 3, 1942, to critical acclaim. The film wonKinema Junpo'sBest Picture Award and Tsuburaya received an award for his special effects. Reportedly viewed by 100 million people in Japan and its occupied territories, it became thehighest-grossing film in the history of Japanese cinema upon its distribution.
In 1936,Imperial Japanese Navy pilot Tadaaki Tachibana visits his aunt's farm, where younger cousin Yoshikazu Tomoda expresses his wish to become a pilot. Tadaaki encourages Yoshikazu only after challenging him to acliff jump.
Yoshikazu undergoes basic training from 1937, participating in rowing,kendō, wrestling, and rugby. His drill instructor introduces the notion of facing adversity with the proper "spirit". One morning, theMarco Polo Bridge Incident is reported in the cadets' newspaper. The cadets intensify their training as the events of theSecond Sino-Japanese War and theSecond World War in Europe unfold. Their drill instructor declares that the situation in China may only be resolved through the defeat of the United States and the British Empire.
After a brief visit to his family, Yoshikazu progresses to training as a fighter pilot. He experiencessurvivor guilt when another cadet dies during a training exercise aboard an aircraft carrier. Tadaaki advises him not to give up his training, citing his own experiences in the military. Yoshikazu's sister Kikuko is concerned about the explosion of a world war, but informs him that their mother has accepted his decision to fight.
In late 1941, Yoshikazu is among those aboard an aircraft carrier destined forPearl Harbor, although their mission is not immediately clear. As the pilots prepare for the attack, the officers listen for results over an American radio station. The mission is portrayed as a success: the torpedoes hit their intended target ships, and reinforcements engage in a dogfight withUSAAF fighter planes. However, in a "precious sacrifice", one damaged Japanese plane crashes into an American hangar.
Meanwhile in Japanese-occupiedFrench Indochina, a separate unit receives a briefing concerning the movements ofHMS Repulse andHMS Prince of Wales. An initial attempt to bomb the ships during their nighttime departure fromSingapore is aborted. Despite the ships leaving the range of the bombers, their crews are instructed to re-attempt the mission. The crew of one bomber, acknowledging that they lack the fuel to return home, proceeds with the attack on the British fleet. This mission too is successful, although the Prince of Wales incidentally sinks after the bomber runs out of ammunition.
Yoshikazu's family listens to a report of the attack on the radio, as do the officers aboard the aircraft carrier. One officer expresses his pleasure at Japan's strategic position.
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| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(January 2023) |
Before Japan officially entered the war on the same day as the Pearl Harbor attack, Michibu Navy Major Shōichi Hamada reportedly met Tsuburaya and requested the production of a film about the attack as soon as possible when the war broke out.
Hawai Mare oki kaisen was the most costly film made in Japan up to that time, costing over$380,000, when a typical film cost no more than $40,000.[4][5] It used special effects and miniature models to create realistic battle scenes. These were intercut with genuine newsreel material to make the appearance of adocumentary. The film was released during the week of the first anniversary of the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor.
Thespecial effects are byEiji Tsuburaya.[6]
| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(January 2023) |
Within its first eight days at the Japanese box office, the film had grossed¥1,115,000.[3] According toToho, it was viewed by 100 million people in Japan and the country's occupied territories.[7]
Joseph L. Anderson comments thatHawai Mare oki kaisen was "representative of the national-policy films", with the aim of dramatizing "the Navy Spirit as culminated at Pearl Harbor." Critics at the time considered it the best film of 1942.[4]
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya was confiscated bySupreme Command Allied Powers after the war, who mistook it for genuine news footage of the attack, and it was released byMovietone as such.[4][5]
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinema Junpo Awards | Best Picture Award | The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya | Won | [8] |
| Japan Motion Picture Cinematographers Association | Visual Effects | Eiji Tsuburaya | Won | [8] |