An article on a film, it’s been a long time. And if to return we go back a little? If I talk to you about December 7, 1941, does that speak to you? World War II, romance, action, drama, war, this is what the story of Pearl Harbor, released in 2001, offers us.
Movie’s card
- Title: Pearl Harbor
- Releashed: 2001
- Director : Michael Bay
- Scriptwriter: Randall Wallace
- House of productions: Touchstone Pictures / Jerry Bruckheimer Film
- Music: Hans Zimmer
- Starring:
- Ben Affleck: Rafe McCawlay
- Josh Hartnett: Daniel (Danny) Walker
- Kate Beckinsale: Evelyn Johnson
- Alec Baldwin: James Doolittle
The story begins in the United States. The Second World War is in full swing on the other side of the Atlantic. We follow wartime nurse Evelyn as she vets future recruits to the Stars and Stripes armies with her colleagues. She meets a dyslexic lieutenant, Ralph McCawlay, and his best friend, Daniel Walker, prodigy pilots. In love Ralph and she take us to the evenings with glamorous shades that we give to this era. That’s when they take different routes: Ralph has volunteered to join the British forces, while Evelyn and Daniel join the base in Hawaii.
We arrive in December and if everything is calm on the island, this is not the case in Europe and especially in Japan. The army of the rising sun has decided to take the lead and is preparing a big attack. In the early morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese planes flew over Hawaii and attacked the American base. Chaos is a weak word to describe what is happening. But if the Japanese started, the Americans are determined to take revenge.
The film therefore speaks to us of History with a fiction to interest us in this subject which is far from obvious. To be honest, courses on the world wars, or anything that happens after 1900, hardly interest me. Nevertheless, the story is interesting even if it can be transposed to different eras as it is common. The facts related, on the other hand, are very well exposed, even if we see mainly the point of view of the Americans. I tend to think that you should always listen to all sides of a story.
If the budget was enormous, the material means incredible and a very good casting, without forgetting our dear Hanz Zimmer, the reception of the critics for this film was not the warmest. It nevertheless received a few awards, including the Oscar for best sound editing. It also remains a blockbuster for which many have traveled to theaters to see it. Its success with the public has been significant, especially with non-English speaking audiences.
For my part, this film still makes me so indignant, make me smile and make me cry. I like the characters, because they are the ones that make me interested in the context. I still managed to get a good mark on my History test thanks to this film. In any case, I will always retain the date of December 7, 1941 thanks to it. So, a small cookie from Hawaii?
Chapeau Rouge et Livres en bottes 