The Gallant Hours (1960)

Memorable, crazy movie

hyped garbage

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Blistering performances.

Docudrama about Admiral William F. Halsey; specifically his experiences during World War II. It's directed and narrated by Robert Montgomery. James Cagney stars and does an excellent job with a quieter, more subtle type of performance than the ones he was known for. Negatives include a slow pace, lack of action, no subtitles when needed, an overuse of devices like narration and background chorus, and Dennis Weaver going full hick accent with his country boy role. Positives include the aforementioned Cagney turn and a sincerity that I can't help but respect. You can tell they (Montgomery, Cagney, et al.) really wanted to make a great film about a man they admired. It's not a movie that I will ever watch again, but I can certainly see the appeal for many others.

Fleet Adm. William F. Halsey Jr. (James Cagney) takes over as Guadalcanal heats up. He faces the Japanese forces at the height of their power under the command of Yamamoto.The intriguing aspect of this war movie is the lack of action scenes. This is unique among big American war movies. There is plenty of military hardware but the whiz bang has been left off-screen. The Japanese characters speak without subtitles. There is a constant narration throughout the movie. The overall effect is an air of authenticity. There are some lighter moments which may be ill-advised. This movie does better concentrating on the details of the events and planning but it needs a consistent map showing the units involved. I like the general idea if not always the result.

A look at the senior officers in Halsey's fleet and under his command. However, it was strangely uninvolving, since we knew that the U.S. won the war, won the battle for Guadalcanal, and that Halsey survived the war and retired a four star admiral. What almost ruined the movie for me was the too reverent chorus that played throughout the movie, which would have more suitable in a movie about Jesus Christ or one of the saints. The wa wa chorus was actually intrusive at times and I found myself grimacing when it started up.

I just love this movie. I am a huge fan of Adm. Halsey. Am also a Navy vet. I wish they would put it out on DVD. Since it is out of print it is very hard to find a copy, there are some used ones thru Amazon.com, but am a little leery of buying one thru this method. Cagney does a terrific job as Halsey, the resemblance is uncanny. I think John Wayne's portrayal of Adm. Torrey in "In Harms Way" is somewhat based on Adm. Halsey, at least that is how it makes me feel. Any fan of WWII movies, particularly Pacific naval ones, would love this movie. I noticed one of the posters stated he had served with Halsey, I truly envy you! Guess it would've been hard since I wasn't born yet!