In 1945 a B-29 piloted by Colonel Paul Tibetts (Robert Taylor) dropped the first atom bomb on human beings in Hiroshima, killing some 78,000 people and destroying with one blow about three square miles of urban landscape, virtually ending World War II.
All things considered, including the fact that this was released in 1953, it's an interesting if shallow story. That's too bad because the narrative has a lot of intrinsic energy. The movie, though, follows the usual conventions of the time and, for one reason or another, doesn't really want to get into cumbersome reality or moral implications.
The commanding general comments during Tibetts' training that, for a moment, Tibetts looked a little uncomfortable. Tibetts explains that while he'd been a bomber pilot over Germany he walked through the bomb bay before every flight and it occurred to him every time that there were going to be "people down there." "You're right, sir, I did feel uncomfortable. I wouldn't think much of myself if I didn't." General: "Neither would I." Tibetts is going to kill almost 80,000 people, mostly civilians of different ages, and it makes him "uncomfortable." End of philosophical quandary.
There are some nice shots of B-29s landing, taking off, and in flight -- but not many of them. And not much goes on in the interiors either that isn't required for the telling of the story. Pilots often complained that the B-29 was a beast to fly.
Probably a lot of material having to do with the development of the bomb and Tibetts' mission was still classified, so much -- maybe most -- of the film is given over to Tibetts' family life. He has a beautiful wife and a child. When she gives birth to a second, Tibetts isn't there for her and she resents it. The conflict intensifies over time because Tibetts is heavily burdened with the responsibility of preparing for the all-important bombing. He becomes snappish with his family. He fires old friends for breaches of security. He doesn't handle his wife delicately either. "It's none of your business," he tells her. And, mollifyingly, "I'll tell you what. You take care of the house and children and let me take care of my work." Of course he can't tell her about why his work is so important. It's a secret. What's worse, he has to keep secret the fact that it's a secret.
The entire domestic theme could have been eliminated and the time spent in pursuit of other things if the writers and producers had wanted to go that way, but they didn't. I'm not entirely sure they should have. It would have been a different kind of film. As it is, the result is a rather shallow film that's in its own way kind of reassuring because it's so nostalgic. The wife has a full-time job at home, and the husband goes out and fights in the jungle to make a living or win a war. And they were locked together for life. Divorce, while not unheard of, would have been a disgrace. Candidates have lost presidential nominations for having been divorced. (Ronald Reagan was our first and only divorced president).
A couple of observations. Tibetts took off for Hiroshima from a USAAF base on the island of Tinian. New Yorkers would have felt at home on Tinian. The streets were laid out and named as they were in Manhattan. The main drags were Broadway and Fifth Avenue, West End Avenue was where it should have been, and so forth.
The bomb was armed in flight by a Navy officer. "It's been planned ahead of time." Why Navy, you ask? I mean -- this being an Air Force mission and all? Official justifications aside, the Navy probably didn't want to be left out of the show. It would probably be a mistake to believe the dynamics of celebrity are less primitive than that.
Tibetts and crew certainly had awesome responsibilities but had little to do with the development of the bomb. Their job was to carry the thing to its target and deliver it as planned, rather like the driver of a UPS van. But there are times when the script gives Tibetts what appears to be control over the scientists he deals with. Nobody ever remembers who came in second, who dropped the bomb over Nagasaki, so we might point out his name was Bock and his plane was Bock's Car.
At any rate, it's a dated but watchable movie and for those too young or inattentive to history to already know the story, it's worth catching.
All things considered, including the fact that this was released in 1953, it's an interesting if shallow story. That's too bad because the narrative has a lot of intrinsic energy. The movie, though, follows the usual conventions of the time and, for one reason or another, doesn't really want to get into cumbersome reality or moral implications.
The commanding general comments during Tibetts' training that, for a moment, Tibetts looked a little uncomfortable. Tibetts explains that while he'd been a bomber pilot over Germany he walked through the bomb bay before every flight and it occurred to him every time that there were going to be "people down there." "You're right, sir, I did feel uncomfortable. I wouldn't think much of myself if I didn't." General: "Neither would I." Tibetts is going to kill almost 80,000 people, mostly civilians of different ages, and it makes him "uncomfortable." End of philosophical quandary.
There are some nice shots of B-29s landing, taking off, and in flight -- but not many of them. And not much goes on in the interiors either that isn't required for the telling of the story. Pilots often complained that the B-29 was a beast to fly.
Probably a lot of material having to do with the development of the bomb and Tibetts' mission was still classified, so much -- maybe most -- of the film is given over to Tibetts' family life. He has a beautiful wife and a child. When she gives birth to a second, Tibetts isn't there for her and she resents it. The conflict intensifies over time because Tibetts is heavily burdened with the responsibility of preparing for the all-important bombing. He becomes snappish with his family. He fires old friends for breaches of security. He doesn't handle his wife delicately either. "It's none of your business," he tells her. And, mollifyingly, "I'll tell you what. You take care of the house and children and let me take care of my work." Of course he can't tell her about why his work is so important. It's a secret. What's worse, he has to keep secret the fact that it's a secret.
The entire domestic theme could have been eliminated and the time spent in pursuit of other things if the writers and producers had wanted to go that way, but they didn't. I'm not entirely sure they should have. It would have been a different kind of film. As it is, the result is a rather shallow film that's in its own way kind of reassuring because it's so nostalgic. The wife has a full-time job at home, and the husband goes out and fights in the jungle to make a living or win a war. And they were locked together for life. Divorce, while not unheard of, would have been a disgrace. Candidates have lost presidential nominations for having been divorced. (Ronald Reagan was our first and only divorced president).
A couple of observations. Tibetts took off for Hiroshima from a USAAF base on the island of Tinian. New Yorkers would have felt at home on Tinian. The streets were laid out and named as they were in Manhattan. The main drags were Broadway and Fifth Avenue, West End Avenue was where it should have been, and so forth.
The bomb was armed in flight by a Navy officer. "It's been planned ahead of time." Why Navy, you ask? I mean -- this being an Air Force mission and all? Official justifications aside, the Navy probably didn't want to be left out of the show. It would probably be a mistake to believe the dynamics of celebrity are less primitive than that.
Tibetts and crew certainly had awesome responsibilities but had little to do with the development of the bomb. Their job was to carry the thing to its target and deliver it as planned, rather like the driver of a UPS van. But there are times when the script gives Tibetts what appears to be control over the scientists he deals with. Nobody ever remembers who came in second, who dropped the bomb over Nagasaki, so we might point out his name was Bock and his plane was Bock's Car.
At any rate, it's a dated but watchable movie and for those too young or inattentive to history to already know the story, it's worth catching.