Report from the Aleutians

A nice and fairly accurate portrayal of combat in the Aleutians. One item I thought very interesting was the lack of mention regarding the large Canadian contribution to this theater. I would have to guess it was not considered appropriate for the home audience in the US at the time. Considering the minor theater the Aleutins seemed to be view as it is a great tribute to this campaign. I found the scenes of vastness of the area amazing. The views of old aircraft in action would be of great interest to aviation fans. For most people, I'm sure this is film will be the only views of the Aleutian Islands most people will ever see! Certainly require viewing for any WWll buff!

The Second World War ranged all over the globe, from Europe to Asia, the Atlantic to the Pacific, the jungles of New Guinea tot he arctic oceans around the Aleutian Islands. This short documentary concerns the last.

I didn't realize it was John Huston talking at first. Just as he grew n old age to resemble his father physically, here he sounds like him -- when it isn't actually Walter Huston talking. We get a lot of talk about soldiers in the miserable environment, with no girls, no picture shows, no girls, and even candy bars rationed. And no girls.

The copy that appears on Turner Classic Movies looks battered and worn. It also shows signs of its origins, having been shot in 16mm before being transferred to 35mm for theatrical release.

John Huston directed, wrote, and narrated this documentary about this lesser known part of the WWII Pacific theater. It's in color. Japan had invaded Alaska. It's a long range battle as these two military forces launch air raids and fight over these remote islands. This is an important witness to those events since there isn't that much visual from this long ranging faraway battle.

If there is an issue, it is the lack of bang bang footage. This part of the war doesn't have much close combat. A lot of the film are the preparations and sparse bases in empty landscapes. It does close with a bombing run and that's very compelling footage.

During the war, Hollywood became an official propaganda arm of the US government. This unusual relationship meant that Hollywood could use its money and expertise to make high quality films...much higher than the military itself could normally make. That's why the likes of John Ford and Frank Capra made documentaries...very good ones at that. In the case of "Report from the Aleutians", the young but very successful John Huston helmed this project.

The film is about a portion of WWII that few would remember today. Believe it or not, war DID affect Alaska and some tough battles between Japanese and American troops occurred. This coincided, at times, with the attack on Midway Island....as the Aleutian attack was meant as a diversion...one that ultimately failed.

Using excellent footage of the day, nice narration (by the director's father, Walter) and an overall high quality of the project make this one worth seeing...especially if you are a history lover like me.

One of John Huston's contributions to the war effort. His engaging voice narrates the facts of being in the armed forces and stationed on one of the Aleutian Islands, which extend southwestward from Alaska. The narration begins with an unsparing look at the geography of the archipelago -- rough and volcanic, treeless, and a merciless climate.

By the time of this release, the Japanese had landed on Kiska, one of the outer islands, and had made a naval feint to distract the US fleet from a defense of Midway. The feint failed. The on-and-off conflict with the Japanese went on for some time, mostly consisting of our bombing their positions whenever the weather allowed. In the end, the US Army landed on the Japanese-held islands only to find they had folded their tents and silently stolen away.

The documentary is kind of stuck with a description of humdrum work in a dreary place, leading to an extended salute to the men who run the supplies in and out of Dutch Harbor, the engineers who drive the bulldozers. The men wear old-fashioned campaign hats, carry Springfield rifles with old-fashioned long bayonets, and some wear the broad-brimmed pre-war steel helmets.

We see the usual scenes. Mail call is a treasure. The food is awful -- powdered eggs and canned this-and-that. They play old songs on guitars and harmonicas. Everyone attends services by Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish chaplains. No booze, no women. However, the troops are cheerful and morale is high. Nothing can blunt the keenness of these gum-chewing boys in their parkas.

There are some finely done shots of airplanes taking off and landing -- P-39s, P-38s, P-40s, B-17s, B-26s, and B-24s. It's startling to see an airplane like the P-38, with its tricycle landing gear, plowing at speed through a foot of water and creating a moving fountain of gray that masks the airplane itself except for its dark nose which juts out ahead of the watery curtain.

The film ends with a bombing mission of nine B-17s over Kiska. It's no more alluring than life back in Dutch Harbor although far more dangerous. There are bursts of flak, and though there have been casualties on other missions, this one returns safely.