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voor de liefhebbers van Japanse duikboten in oorlogfilms :)

Midway (1976) 

The film chronicles the Battle of Midway, a turning point in World War II in the Pacific. The Imperial Japanese Navy had been undefeated until that time and out-numbered the American naval forces by four to one.

The film follows two threads, one centered around the Japanese chief strategist Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (played by Mifune), and the other around fictional characters, Captain Matt Garth (Heston), an American naval officer who is involved in various phases of the US planning and execution of the battle and Garth's son (also a pilot involved in the battle) is romantically involved with Haruko Sakura (Kokubo), an American-born daughter of Japanese immigrants, who has been interned with her parents. Garth calls in all of his favors with a long-time friend to investigate the charges against the Sakuras (apparently with success, as Haruko is free and at dockside when the injured younger Garth is carried off the ship at the end of the film)

The film starts with the Doolittle raid, and so takes place before the Battle of the Coral Sea (which is only mentioned). It depicts the creation of a complicated battle plan. Unknown to the Japanese, American signals intelligence has broken the Japanese Naval encryption codes and know ahead of time that the ambush will take place at Midway Island. American Admiral Chester Nimitz (played by Fonda), plays a desperate gamble by sending his last remaining aircraft carriers to Midway before the Japanese to set up his own ambush.

Successful in saving Midway, but at a heavy cost, Nimitz reflects that Yamamoto "had everything going for him", asking "were we better than the Japanese, or just luckier?"

Trivia:
The movie gives no clear reference as to Yorktown's fate after being hit by 2 torpedoes from carrier planes launched by Hiryu. After having her engines knocked out, she was taken under tow, on her way back to Pearl Harbor for repairs. The Japanese submarine I-168, serving as part of the Japanese patrol group between Midway and Pearl Harbor, sank her before she returned to base. No mention is made of this attack.

Cast: 
  Charlton Heston  ...  Captain Matt Garth  
  Henry Fonda  ...  Admiral Chester W. Nimitz  
  James Coburn  ...  Captain Vinton Maddox  
  Glenn Ford  ...  Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance  
  Hal Holbrook  ...  Commander Joseph Rochefort  
  Toshirô Mifune  ...  Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (as Toshiro Mifune)  
  Robert Mitchum  ...  Admiral William F. Halsey  
  Cliff Robertson  ...  Commander Carl Jessop  
  Robert Wagner  ...  Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. Blake  
  Robert Webber  ...  Rear Admiral Frank J. 'Jack' Fletcher  
  Ed Nelson  ...  Admiral Harry Pearson  
  James Shigeta  ...  Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo  
  Christina Kokubo  ...  Haruko Sakura  
  Monte Markham  ...  Commander Max Leslie  
  Biff McGuire  ...  Captain Miles Browning  
  ...

see NFO for technical specs
subtitles: no, search with Midway 1976 Dvdrip Xvid Ac3 on the subtitle sites ;)

Thanks to Memorial Day Movies team :)