Pearl Harbor (2001)
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A sprawling war epic explores the intertwined lives of two best friends and a nurse amidst the backdrop of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The story
In 1941, best friends Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker serve as first lieutenants in the US Army Air Force. Rafe, who is in a relationship with nurse Evelyn Johnson, joins the Eagle Squadron to fly in the Battle of Britain. After Rafe is presumed killed in action, he eventually reappears, leading to a complex emotional dynamic between the three friends. The narrative builds toward the pivotal events of December 7, 1941, as the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, forcing the men to face the reality of war and the consequences of their personal choices.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story begins in 1923 with Rafe and Danny pretending to be airmen. By 1941, they are pilots in the US Army Air Force. Rafe joins the Eagle Squadron and is presumed dead after being shot down in the English Channel. During his absence, Danny and Evelyn begin a romance. Rafe reappears on December 6, 1941, and the two men confront their feelings. On December 7, the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor; Rafe and Danny fight back and are later assigned to the Doolittle Raid. Before departing, Evelyn reveals she is pregnant with Danny's child. During the raid on Tokyo, both men are injured; Danny is mortally wounded. Rafe and Evelyn marry after the war, and Rafe raises Evelyn's son, naming him after Danny.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 183
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Japanese
- Directors
- Michael Bay
- Writers
- Randall Wallace · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ben Affleck · Rafe McCawley; Josh Hartnett · Danny Walker; Kate Beckinsale · Evelyn Johnson; Cuba Gooding Jr. · Doris Miller; Jon Voight · Franklin D. Roosevelt; Colm Feore · Admiral Husband E. Kimmel; Alec Baldwin · Jimmy Doolittle; Tom Sizemore · Earl Sistern
- Genres
- romantic war drama
- Themes
- Friendship; Sacrifice; War; Love
- Tone and mood
- Epic; Dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- Historical Fiction; War Drama; Romance
- Reception
- The film was a box office success but received mixed to negative critical reviews, specifically regarding its script, acting, and historical accuracy, while praising its visual effects and score.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 24% · scale: percentage · review count: 194; Metacritic · score: 44 · scale: 100 · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Sound Editing · won; Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Picture · nominated
- Production trivia
- The production used the USS Lexington as a stand-in for both the USS Hornet and a Japanese carrier.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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