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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
During World War II, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle (Spencer Tracy) leads the U.S. Air Force in a bombing mission over Japan. Doolittle and his men stage a successful attack on Tokyo, but most pilots run out of fuel while returning from the raid. Many are forced to land on Japanese soil, but Capt. Ted Lawson (Van Johnson), who has a pregnant wife at home, crash-lands in the sea off the coast of China. Stranded, Lawson must heroically endure a series of harrowing challenges to make it back home.

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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Critics Reviews

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Jack Karr Toronto Star 12/15/2022
It's a rare and satisfying occasion when a motion picture of the war combines sound drama, reasonable authenticity and good taste. Such, we're glad to report, is the case with Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo. Go to Full Review Christopher Lloyd Sarasota Herald-Tribune 05/09/2011
4/5
After an overly mushy first half, the movie redeems itself with a second act that is decidedly dark and dreary and an extended air combat sequence that's still amazing nearly 70 years later. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 02/04/2006
B
It's winsome because of its sincerity, painting a sympathetic portrait of the men who carried out this dangerous mission. Go to Full Review Bob Bloom Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) 01/28/2006
3/5
wonderful WWII propaganda drama with sincere performances by the cast. Special effects bombing sequence of Tokyo isn't bad either. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 06/29/2005
B+
Mervyn LeRoy's fact-based WWII action-drama was extremely popular due to subject matter, star power (Spencer Tracy), Oscar-winning effects, and intelligent script by Dalton Trumbo, later blacklisted and one of the Hollywood Ten. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Chris B @Papa13070 2d This is the true story of Jimmy Doolittle's raid over Tokyo in April of 1942, which lead directly to the battle of Midway, the turning point of the war in the Pacific. It is told through the eyes of pilot Ted Lawson and his crew, and was based on his real life account of his experiences. Van Johnson does a fine job as Lawson, and he gets great support from Robert Walker and Don DeFore. Robert Mitchum is also in this film. The scenes on board the USS Hornet, the carrier, and the bombing of Japan, are especially good and absorbing. Most of all, this excellent movie evokes 1942 and the war, at home behind the lines and over Tokyo itself, better than any movie of its era. And the emotional farewell of the pilots and their wives was particularly touching. See it. See more Pete W @RT56398213 Mar 24 If youre a fan of World War 2 movies, this one is a must. The special effects for the era are brilliant and the story is fairly accurate. A personal favorite of mine. See more Jerry E @engelbach Jan 23 Horrendous acting, of the "gee whiz" variety from young men acting like giggly teenagers. Plus the unbearably bubbly Phyllis Thaxter. These are not people, but kids trying to play grownup. Embarrassing for actors and audience alike. Partly redeemed by some outstanding (for that era) special effects. See more Shadowman4710 T @RT96537255 May 31 The 100% rating baffles me. Sure it's got some good scenes and some very fine performances but overall it's quite dull. I'll give them credit for portraying the Chinese people as actual human beings (something that probably that wouldn't be done now) but the love story is dull and the action scenes, while excellent are few and far between. There are far better films form the same period. See more Dennis D @RT54892421 02/29/2024 One of my favorite movies ever! They just played it on TCM--Turner Broadcasting-- See more Jeff S @jeffstone 02/26/2024 Spencer Tracy turns in a solid performance in this dramatic war film that builds slowly but finishes with a flourish. See more Read all reviews
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

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Cast & Crew

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Mervyn LeRoy

Director

Spencer Tracy

Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle

Van Johnson

Ted Lawson

Robert Walker

David Thatcher

Phyllis Thaxter

Ellen Lawson

Scott McKay

Davey Jones

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Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis During World War II, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle (Spencer Tracy) leads the U.S. Air Force in a bombing mission over Japan. Doolittle and his men stage a successful attack on Tokyo, but most pilots run out of fuel while returning from the raid. Many are forced to land on Japanese soil, but Capt. Ted Lawson (Van Johnson), who has a pregnant wife at home, crash-lands in the sea off the coast of China. Stranded, Lawson must heroically endure a series of harrowing challenges to make it back home.
Director
Mervyn LeRoy
Producer
Sam Zimbalist
Screenwriter
Dalton Trumbo
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's Inc.
Genre
War
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 15, 1944, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
2h 18m
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