The Gallant Hours (1960)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This movie, produced by Robert Montgomery, a navy veteran of WW2 who acted in the excellent film "They Were Expendable," is a fine story; but it just is not true. It conflates several battles into one, a not too terrible violation of the real history; but then moves the killing of Adm. Yamamoto six months earlier than it actually happened. I love Cagney, and he does well in this film, but it is all in the service of a lie. Watch this film for entertainment, and for the very effective voice-overs when new characters are introduced, describing their civilian careers and their ultimate end: dead, wounded, or survivor. The music is very good, too. STILL, THE MOVIE IS A LIE!!!!!!

I love watching this movie, even if I know it has some deliberate factual errors and gives a completely bogus impression of Halsey's Japanese adversary, Admiral Yamamoto. Other reviews have also noted that in truth Admiral Yamamoto wasn't shot down until April, two months after the last surviving Japanese forces finally withdrew from Guadalcanal and more than four months since the deaths of Admirals Scott and Callaghan. One thing which is not mentioned at all in the film is that Callaghan was given command over Scott, who had won the earlier Battle of Cape Esperance, simply because he was senior in rank.Yamamoto did have an artistic bent, which he expressed through calligraphy, but geisha parties, cards, and chess were more his style, and he insisted his officers join him. Yamamoto was also an adventurous, individualistic man, a nail that stuck out that Japanese society never quite hammered down. He once hitch-hiked from Boston to Mexico!Thomas Lamphier used to be credited for shooting down Yamamoto, but official credit has finally been given to Rex Barber, another P-38 pilot, who is not portrayed in the film.There are many, many books about the Pacific War, Halsey, and the Guadalcanal campaign. My favorite, though it is out of print, is "The Campaign for Guadalcanal" by Jack Hoggins. It has a good mix of material covering sea, air, and land fighting, and is illustrated with fine drawings. For the Japanese perspective, John Toland's "The Rising Sun" has a very large section devoted to the campaign.

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!

The decision not to show any battle scenes is what prevents THE GALLANT HOURS from really coming to life as a war drama. All of the scenes showing the men in command who have to make the big decisions are extremely well done, but when the film is over there's a feeling that something was lacking. At least at some point in the story, some footage of men during battle would have made the Halsey story more gripping.It's presented almost like a history lesson. The factual account of events following the Japanese successful attack on Pearl Harbor and leading up to events at Guadalcanal, borders on being dry but is saved by the crisp performances of the male cast and especially JAMES CAGNEY as Admiral "Bull" Halsey. Cagney puts aside all his famed mannerisms and plays the role with feeling and intensity, getting across the notion that being a commander during wartime is an extremely harrowing experience when so many lives are at stake.The cast is mostly unfamiliar to me, with RICHARD JAECKEL and DENNIS WEAVER being the sole exceptions. Jaeckel is highly effective in a brief role as a man who is losing his fighting spirit until he gets a pep talk from Halsey and Weaver is pleasantly cast as Halsey's pilot and aide.A thinking man's war film, it's a bit overlong at one hour and 55 minutes and without any actual battle footage. It's directed in competent style by Robert Montgomery but the Roger Wagner chorale music is a bit overdone in an attempt to heighten the drama.