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IMDbPro

Operation Pacific

  • 19511951
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)
Trailer for Operation Pacific
Play trailer2:46
1 Video
28 Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance
  • War
During WWII, a submarine's second in command inherits the problem of torpedoes that don't explode. When on shore, he is eager to win back his ex-wife.During WWII, a submarine's second in command inherits the problem of torpedoes that don't explode. When on shore, he is eager to win back his ex-wife.During WWII, a submarine's second in command inherits the problem of torpedoes that don't explode. When on shore, he is eager to win back his ex-wife.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • George Waggner
  • Writer
    • George Waggner
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Patricia Neal
    • Ward Bond
Top credits
  • Director
    • George Waggner
  • Writer
    • George Waggner
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Patricia Neal
    • Ward Bond
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 33User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Operation Pacific
    Trailer 2:46
    Operation Pacific

    Photos28

    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950.
    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950. John Wayne and Patricia Neal.
    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950. Ward Bond, Patricia Neal, and John Wayne.
    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950. John Wayne and Patricia Neal.
    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950. John Wayne and Patricia Neal.
    "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950. Patricia Neal and John Wayne.
    "Operation Pacific" Ward Bond 1950 Warner Bros.
    Gary Cooper visiting John Wayne on the set of "Operation Pacific," Warner Bros. 1950.
    John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)
    John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)
    John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)
    John Wayne in Operation Pacific (1951)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Lt Cmdr. Duke E. Gifford
    Patricia Neal
    Patricia Neal
    • Lt. (j.g.) Mary Stuart
    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Cmdr. John T. 'Pop' Perry
    Scott Forbes
    Scott Forbes
    • Lt. Larry
    Philip Carey
    Philip Carey
    • Lt. (j.g.) Bob Perry
    Paul Picerni
    Paul Picerni
    • Jonesy
    William Campbell
    William Campbell
    • The Talker
    • (as Bill Campbell)
    Kathryn Givney
    Kathryn Givney
    • Cmdr. Steele
    Martin Milner
    Martin Milner
    • Ens. Caldwell
    Cliff Clark
    • Commander, SUBPAC
    Jack Pennick
    Jack Pennick
    • The Chief
    Virginia Brissac
    Virginia Brissac
    • Sister Anna
    Vincent Fotre
    • Soundman
    Lewis Martin
    • Squad Commander
    Sam Edwards
    Sam Edwards
    • Junior
    Louis Mosconi
    • Radarman Mosconi
    John Baer
    John Baer
    • Fighter Pilot
    • (uncredited)
    Robert Carson
    Robert Carson
    • Torpedo Officer
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Waggner
    • Writer
      • George Waggner
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During filming Gary Cooper visited the set to persuade his mistress Patricia Neal to abort their unborn baby. Neal acquiesced to his demands and later expressed overwhelming regret at not giving birth. She is said to have become an anti-abortion activist in later years. Cooper allegedly punched Neal in the face after he saw Kirk Douglas attempt to seduce her, the only time he is known to have hit a woman.
    • Goofs
      The studio set is much larger than a wartime submarine would have been.
    • Quotes

      Ens. Caldwell: [after the Chief and Junior are killed] I couldn't help it about the Chief.

      Duke E. Gifford: Remembering how he took care of you?

      Ens. Caldwell: Yes sir.

      Duke E. Gifford: Well, before he took care of you, he took care of Larry, before Larry, he took care of me and before me he took care of Pop. Chiefs have been taking care of this man's Navy for a long time, Mister Caldwell. Don't worry about him, there's a lot of good sailors back there for him to take care of.

    • Crazy credits
      In keeping with the submarine theme of the film: at the very start, we see a submarine periscope break the surface of the sea, then we see an officer looking into the view-port of the periscope, then we see the opening credits appear, as if being viewed through a periscope.
    • Alternate versions
      Republic Pictures released a colorized version on video.
    • Connections
      Features Destination Tokyo (1943)
    • Soundtracks
      We Watch the Skyways
      (uncredited)

      Music by Max Steiner

      Played during the opening credits and often throughout the picture

    User reviews33

    Review
    Top review
    Good action scenes, but nearly every human moment is phony; and Max Steiner's score underlines every banality
    Duke E. Gifford (John Wayne) is second in command of the USS Thunderfish, a submarine which is firing off torpedoes that either explode too early or never explode at all. It's a dilemma that he'll eventually take up personally. Even more personal is his quest to win back his ex-wife (Patricia Neal), a nurse; but he'll have to win her back from a navy flier who also happens to be his commander's little brother.

    We know this movie is going to be an eye-roller during the opening scene in which the Thunderfish is transporting two nuns, a baby and a group of orphans who go running past a ludicrously tolerant crew as they're trying to sink a Japanese ship. While the action scenes are good, nearly every human moment in this film is phony; and the few that aren't are thanks to the usual expert performance from Patricia Neal, not from writer-director George Waggner.

    The special effects and production values in this submarine drama are okay, but occasionally we'll see a cable pulling a torpedo or a night-time sky that has a ceiling and a corner. Max Steiner's score underlines every banality in the script and then underlines it twice more. At one point a crew member laughs at the Hollywood hokum in the Cary Grant film, "Destination Tokyo." If only he could have been out in the audience for his own picture.
    helpful•9
    10
    • J. Spurlin
    • Sep 18, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Unternehmen Seeadler
    • Filming locations
      • Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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