Thirty Seconds over Tokyo
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| Thirty Seconds over Tokyo | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster |
|
| Directed by | Mervyn LeRoy |
| Produced by | Sam Zimbalist |
| Written by | Dalton Trumbo Book: Ted W. Lawson Robert Considine |
| Starring | Van Johnson Robert Walker Robert Mitchum Spencer Tracy Phyllis Thaxter Stephen McNally |
| Music by | Herbert Stothart |
| Cinematography | Robert Surtees Harold Rosson |
| Editing by | Frank Sullivan |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) |  15 November 1944 |
| Running time | 138 min |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Thirty Seconds over Tokyo is a 1944 MGM war film. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sam Zimbalist. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo was based on a 1943 book by Ted W. Lawson. In both book and film Lawson gives an eye-witness account of the training, mission and aftermath that he and his crew experienced as part of the Doolittle Raid in April 1942. Lawson shared his first-hand experience as the pilot of the "Ruptured Duck", the seventh of sixteen B-25s to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.
The film stars Van Johnson as Lawson, Phyllis Thaxter as Ellen Lawson, Robert Walker as Cpl. David Thatcher, Robert Mitchum as Lt. Bob Gray, and Spencer Tracy as Gen. James Doolittle, the man who planned and led the raid.
The film is also noted for its attention to historical details of the raid as well as its use of actual movie footage of the bombers flying scenes.
The crew of the Ruptured Duck were: 1st Lt. Ted W. Lawson, 2nd Lt. Dean Davenport, 2nd Lt. Charles McClure, 2nd. Lt. Robert Cleaver, and Cpl. David Thatcher.
[edit] Trivia
- As of December 2006, David Thatcher is the sole surviving crew member
- Jefferson Airplane's second live album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland is a humorous take on this title.
