Other Movies about the Attack

It was not long after the last Japanese plane had left Pearl Harbor that the first movies started appearing either with the attack as a central role or as a backdrop. In April 1942 “Secret Agent of Japan” was the first movie to reach the screen. This story though far from the truth, is an interesting example demonstrating how quickly movie makers used the attack for their movies.

“December 7, 1941”

John Ford won an Academy Award© for his movie “December 7, 1941,” which was first released in 1943, in a 30 minute version, cut down from it’s original 84 minutes by the military because of its critique of the military's lack of preparation. The movie consist of original clips from the actual attack. The full version was re-released in 1991. Viewers should be aware that it is a propaganda movie made during the war.
Clips from John Ford's movie has been used in other movies too, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" used footage from this movie in order to show some of the attack scenes. “December 7, 1941,” has probably been watched by every movie director who wanted to produce a movie where the attack on Pearl Harbor was included.

“I Bombed Pearl Harbor” (Taiheiyo no Arashi) Parade Releasing/Toho Company 1961

In 1961, 20 years after the attack, the Japanese movie “I Bombed Pearl Harbor” was released a face could finally be put on the combatant's side. The attack is seen through the eyes of Koji Kitami, a young pilot, who celebrates after the victory at Pearl Harbor, but is confined to a base after the defeat at Midway. If you are a fan of Toshiro Mifune (“Hell in The Pacific” with Lee Marvin and numerous Samurai movies) or want to see the attack from a different point of view, then this movie is worth seeing.

Director Shue Matsubayashi
ScreenPlay Shinobu Hashimoto and Takeo Kunihiro
Production Toho Co., Ltd.
Cast Toshiro Mifune, Yosuke Natsuki, Makoto Sato, Misa Uehara, Tekashi Shimura

The Rest

If some of the movies listed on this website made you even more interested, then the following movies could also be of interest: “Midway,” “The Final Countdown,” “Admiral Yamamoto,”(A Japanese movie, which is hard to find), the 1979 version of “From Here to Eternity,” with Kim Bassinger and Don Johnson went on to become a TV-series.

Pearl Harbor movies

• "Secret Agent of Japan," Twentieth Century Fox, 1942
  
• "Little Tokyo, USA," Twentieth Century Fox, 1942
  
• "Across The Pacific," Warner Bros., 1942
  
• "Remember Pearl Harbor," Republic, 1942
  
• "Submarine Raider," Columbia Pictures, 1942
  
• "December 7, 1941," U.S. Navy, 1943
  
• "Air Force," Warner Bros., 1943
  
• "Blood on the Sun," United Artists, 1945
  
• "From Here to Eternity," Columbia Pictures, 1953
  
• "Hell's Half Acre," Republic Pictures, 1954
  
• "The Revolt of Mamie Stover," Twentieth Century Fox, 1956
  
• "Jungle Heat," United Artists, 1957
  
• "I Bombed Pearl Harbor," (Taiheiyo no Arashi) Parade Releasing/Toho Company, 1961
  
• "In Harms Way," Paramount Pictures, 1965
  
• "Admiral Yamamoto," Toho Company, 1968
  
• "TORA! TORA! TORA!," Twentieth Century Fox, 1970
  
• "Midway," Universal Pictures, 1976
  
• "Pearl," ABC, 1978-1979, TV Mini-series
  
• "From Here to Eternity," NBC, 1979, TV Version
  
• "The Final Countdown," United Artists, 1980
  
• "Imperial Navy," Toho Company, 1980
  
• "The Winds of War," ABC, 1983, 18-hour TV Series about WWII
  
• "War and Remembrance," ABC, 1988, Sequel to "The Winds of War."
  
• "Pearl Harbor," Buena Vista, 2001
  

Miscellaneous Photos from Pearl Harbor Movies