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Pearl Harbor (film)

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Pearl Harbor (film)
NamePearl Harbor
CaptionTheatrical release poster
DirectorMichael Bay
ProducerJerry Bruckheimer
WriterRandall Wallace
StarringBen Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alec Baldwin, Jon Voight
MusicHans Zimmer
CinematographyJohn Schwartzman
EditingChris Lebenzon, Mark Goldblatt, Steven Rosenblum
StudioTouchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films
DistributorBuena Vista Pictures Distribution
ReleasedMay 21, 2001 (Los Angeles premiere), May 25, 2001 (United States)
Runtime183 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$140 million
Gross$449.2 million

Pearl Harbor (film) is a 2001 American epic war film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and written by Randall Wallace. The film dramatizes the events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Japanese Navy, focusing on a fictional love story set against the backdrop of the war. It features an ensemble cast led by Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale, with supporting performances from Cuba Gooding Jr., Alec Baldwin, and Jon Voight. The film was a major commercial success, grossing nearly $450 million worldwide, but received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its visual effects and action sequences while criticizing its length, historical inaccuracies, and melodramatic plot.

Plot

The narrative follows two childhood friends, Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker, who become United States Army Air Corps pilots. Rafe volunteers to fly with the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain, where he is presumed dead after being shot down. Back in Hawaii, Danny and Rafe's girlfriend, Evelyn Johnson, a United States Navy nurse, begin a relationship, only for Rafe to return alive. This love triangle is dramatically interrupted by the attack on Pearl Harbor, which the film depicts in an extended, intense sequence. Following the attack, the characters participate in the Doolittle Raid, a retaliatory bombing mission on Tokyo led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle.

Cast

* Ben Affleck as Captain Rafe McCawley * Josh Hartnett as Captain Danny Walker * Kate Beckinsale as Nurse Lieutenant Evelyn Johnson * Cuba Gooding Jr. as Petty Officer Doris Miller * Tom Sizemore as Sergeant Earl Sistern * Jon Voight as President Franklin D. Roosevelt * Alec Baldwin as Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle * Dan Aykroyd as Captain Thurman * Colm Feore as Admiral Husband E. Kimmel * Mako as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto * Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Commander Mitsuo Fuchida * Michael Shannon as Lieutenant Gooz Wood * William Lee Scott as Lieutenant Billy Thompson

Production

Development began in the late 1990s, with Touchstone Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films backing the project. Director Michael Bay and writer Randall Wallace conducted extensive research, visiting the USS Arizona Memorial and consulting with historians. Principal photography took place primarily in Hawaii and Los Angeles, with significant portions shot at the Battleship Missouri Memorial and on the decommissioned USS Lexington (CV-16). The attack sequences required massive sets, intricate miniature effects supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, and complex computer-generated imagery. The score was composed by Hans Zimmer.

Release

The film had its world premiere in Los Angeles on May 21, 2001, followed by a wide theatrical release in the United States on May 25, 2001, by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. A major marketing campaign included partnerships with Ford Motor Company and Pepsi. It was later released on DVD and VHS in December 2001, becoming one of the best-selling home video releases of the year. The film was also screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Reception

Pearl Harbor received mixed to negative reviews from critics. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning for Best Sound Editing. Critics from The New York Times and The Washington Post criticized its lengthy runtime and melodramatic central plot, while acknowledging the technical achievement of the battle scenes. The performance of Cuba Gooding Jr. as Doris Miller was widely praised. The film was a significant box office success, grossing $449.2 million globally against a $140 million budget.

Historical accuracy

The film has been widely criticized by historians for its numerous factual liberties and inaccuracies. While it accurately depicts the general timeline of the attack on Pearl Harbor and includes real figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Isoroku Yamamoto, and Doris Miller, the central love triangle and the characters of Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker are entirely fictional. The depiction of the Doolittle Raid is heavily condensed and dramatized. Military historians have noted inaccuracies in aircraft markings, the portrayal of Husband E. Kimmel, and the conflation of events for dramatic effect. The National Park Service historians at the USS Arizona Memorial were consulted but have publicly distanced themselves from the film's final narrative.

Category:2001 films Category:American war films Category:Films directed by Michael Bay