Movie Review: 1941

[Ernie_D]

In the days immediately after December 7th 1941, there was a lot of confusion and chaos. Steven Spielberg tried, badly, to convey these days of chaos. This is a rarity for Spielberg-a flop. Still, amongst the mess, there was some comedy gold-pretty much everything that happened on the Japanese submarine was hilarious. The naked woman on the periscope with Japanese sailors yelling:"HORRYWOOD!!!" Slim Pickens swallowing the compass from the Cracker Jacks because the German made compass wouldn't work, and later, Slim tied to the toilet after being force fed castor oil:"Y'all ain't getting s@#$! out of me!!!" Good stuff Too bad the rest of the movie sucked. Two stars out of five.

[bdk]

Not exactly a documentary of the era, but there was some comedy gold there. Pickens was at the top of his comedy game and Belushi was funny as well.

[shrike]

The movie was not a flop, it was actually quite profitable and only a 'flop' when compared to Spielberg's previous blockbuster.
While very much a silly movie, there is some surprisingly GOOD attention to detail, particularly where the needs of the plot or characters don't overrule it.
The soldiers are all wearing uniforms conforming to pre-war regulations (black ties, 1917A1 helmets etc), the aircraft markings are well executed and appropriate. All things that would not have been really been required in a slapstickish comedy.
And for those of us of a heterosexual male airplane nut bent, Nancy Allen as Donna Stratton is worth the price of admission.

[Ernie_D]

The movie was not a flop, it was actually quite profitable and only a 'flop' when compared to Spielberg's previous blockbuster. While very much a silly movie, there is some surprisingly GOOD attention to detail, particularly where the needs of the plot or characters don't overrule it. The soldiers are all wearing uniforms conforming to pre-war regulations (black ties, 1917A1 helmets etc), the aircraft markings are well executed and appropriate. All things that would not have been really been required in a slapstickish comedy. And for those of us of a heterosexual male airplane nut bent, Nancy Allen as Donna Stratton is worth the price of admission.

Did you see the long haired 18 year old boyin the Marine Corps first sergeant uniform?

[shrike]

The movie was not a flop, it was actually quite profitable and only a 'flop' when compared to Spielberg's previous blockbuster. While very much a silly movie, there is some surprisingly GOOD attention to detail, particularly where the needs of the plot or characters don't overrule it. The soldiers are all wearing uniforms conforming to pre-war regulations (black ties, 1917A1 helmets etc), the aircraft markings are well executed and appropriate. All things that would not have been really been required in a slapstickish comedy. And for those of us of a heterosexual male airplane nut bent, Nancy Allen as Donna Stratton is worth the price of admission.

Did you see the long haired 18 year old boyin the Marine Corps first sergeant uniform?

I didn't say "perfect"

[Scott Rose]

One of the strangest War movies ever made... It's time to rate
1941

[Jerry O'Neill]

Bloated and flawed but a favorite of mine since day one! It also paved the way for for a controlled, slick and sharp Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[Scott Rose]

Bloated and flawed but a favorite of mine since day one! It also paved the way for for a controlled, slick and sharp Raiders of the Lost Ark.

It's definitely one of the more bizarre films out there, much more slapstick than other comedic movies like Kelly's Heroes. Reminds me more of McHales navy.

[Simon Beck]

It was technically a "flop" in the U.S. but overseas it was a smash hit, especially Australia, NZ and Japan. This is where the film made it's money.
The VHS-era rentals were also high in these countries at the time. I remember seeing it in a movie theatre in 1979 (at age 7!) in NZ and the
entire theatre was erupting with cheering and laughter.

Loved the scene where Wild Bill smashes the beer bottle on the P-40 canopy when he cannot find a bottle opener.

The Beech 18 was taxiied by warbird pilot Steve Hinton and was the same plane that crashed in Bakersfield in 1982 killing a group
of skydivers.