Nobody seems to speak with much reverence these days about Mervyn LeRoy, mainly because his rep isn’t much different than Clarence Brown’s — a reliable, well-respected house director. But LeRoy helmed a fair amount of first-rate films during the heyday (early 30s to late 50s), plus Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (11.15.44) is arguably Hollywood’s most rousing WWII propaganda flick. Great cast (Van Johnson, Spencer Tracy, Robert Walker), a first-rate Dalton Trumbo script, fine cinematography by Robert Surtees and Harold Rosson.
I can only report that this 16-minute clip hooked me. Everything stopped. I had to stay with it.
10 pm update: I’ve just rewatched the first 60 minutes, which felt rote, unsubtle and square. I know the film picks up once the Ruptured Duck heads for Japan.