1941 Movie Review

1979 Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg's tendency toward sweetness is offset by a cheerful destructiveness in his underrated comedy. It's a far from perfect film, with some derivative moments and poorly timed scenes. But it's also glowingly photographed by William Fraker and filled with cameos by some of the best comic character actors in the business. The premise is loosely based on an incident that took place in 1942, when a Japanese submarine was sighted off the coast of Southern California and caused the “Great Los Angeles Air Raid.”

This story begins on the Saturday after Pearl Harbor, with a parody of the famous opening scene of Jaws introducing a Japanese sub under the command of Cmdr. Mitamura (Toshiro Mifune), who is seeking something “honorable” to destroy before he heads back home. Hollywood, he decides, is the perfect target. In L.A., tensions are rising between zoot-suited teenagers and the growing ranks of soldiers. It comes to a head at the USO where Sgt. Stretch Sitarski (Treat Williams) puts the make on Betty (Dianne Kay) while her boyfriend Wally (Bobby DiCicco) tries to protect her, and Betty's friend Maxine (Wendie Jo Sperber) pursues Stretch.

Realizing how absurd the situation is, Gen. Stilwell (Robert Stack) settles down to watch Dumbo, while his aide Lt. Birkhead (Tim Matheson) makes a move on the General's secretary Donna (Nancy Allen), who has a thing for airplanes. Overhead, Capt. Wild Bill Kelso (John Belushi) flies his fighter in pursuit of phantom Zeros while the equally mad Capt. Maddox (Warren Oates) thinks that Japanese airstrips are hidden in the alfalfa fields near Pamona. On the streets of downtown, Sgt. Tree (Dan Aykroyd) and his tank are not so firmly in control.

Showing up in support are Christopher Lee, Dub Taylor, John Candy, Frank McRae, Elisha Cook Jr., Dick Miller, Michael McKean, Penny Marshall, Sydney Lassick, Eddie Deezen, Lionel Stander, and Murray Hamilton. If the names are not familiar, the faces are. The most memorable of them is Slim Pickens. As Christmas tree farmer Hollis Woods, he's a slightly smoother version of Maj. “King” Kong from Dr. Strangelove in a long series of scenes in the middle.

The leads handle their roles with the right combination of seriousness and silliness, particularly Dan Aykroyd. If Belushi and Matheson are replaying their characters from National Lampoon's Animal House in khaki, they're still funny, and Stack's unruffled deadpan performance is the film's stable center. Some of the most effective jokes are based on the era's racist and romantic cliches, though perhaps a familiarity with the real films of the time makes them funnier.

Even when the physical comedy doesn't work, the energy level remains high, thanks in part to John Williams's bouncy score. His main March theme has become a staple of pops orchestras everywhere, and “Swing, Swing, Swing” is a genuine showstopper based on Benny Goodman's “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Finally, Spielberg and Fraker turn even the most mundane scenes into candy-colored neon-lit set pieces. No, 1941 will never be regarded among Spielberg's best, but it's a much better film than most critics think it is, and it stands up well to another viewing.

Cast: John Belushi (Wild Bill Kelso), Dan Aykroyd (Sgt. Tree), Patti LuPone (Lydia Hedberg), Ned Beatty (Ward Douglas), Slim Pickens (Hollis Wood), Murray Hamilton (Claude), Christopher Lee (Von Kleinschmidt), Tim Matheson (Birkhead), Toshiro Mifune (Cmdr. Mitamura), Warren Oates (Maddox), Robert Stack (Gen. Stilwell), Nancy Allen (Donna), Elisha Cook Jr. (The Patron), Lorraine Gary (Joan Douglas), Treat Williams (Sitarski), Mickey Rourke (Reese), John Candy (Foley), Wendie Jo Sperber (Maxine), Lucille Benson (Gas Mama), Eddie Deezen (Herbie), Bobby DiCic-co (Wally), Dianne Kay (Betty), Perry Lang (Dennis), Frank McRae (Ogden Johnson Jones), Lionel Stander (Scioli), Dub Taylor (Mr. Malcomb), Joe Flaherty (USO emcee), David Lander (Joe), Michael McKean (Willy), Samuel Fuller (Interceptor Cmdr.), Audrey Landers (USO girl), John Landis (Mizerany), Walter Olkewicz (Hinshaw), Donovan Scott (Kid Sailor), Penny Marshall (Miss Fitzroy), Sydney Lassick (Salesman), James Caan (Sailor in fight), Dick Miller; Written by: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, John Milius; Cinematography by: William A. Fraker; Music by: John Williams. Producer: Buzz Feitshans, John Milius, A Team Productions. Awards: Nominations: Academy Awards '79: Best Cinematography, Best Sound. MPAA Rating: PG. Running Time: 120 minutes. Format: VHS, Beta, LV, DVD.