The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954)

There is 1 reply in this Thread which has previously been viewed 6,795 times. The latest Post () was by ethanedwards.

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!

  • THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI


    DIRECTED BY MARK ROBSON
    PRODUCED BY WILLIAM PERLBERG/ GEORGE SEATON
    PARAMOUNT PICTURES



    Information from IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Set during the Korean War, a Navy fighter pilot must come to terms
    with with his own ambivalence towards the war and the fear
    of having to bomb a set of highly defended bridges.
    The ending of this grim war drama is all tension.
    Written by KC Hunt


    Full Cast
    William Holden ... Lt. Harry Brubaker
    Grace Kelly ... Nancy Brubaker
    Fredric March ... Rear Adm. George Tarrant
    Mickey Rooney ... Mike Forney
    Robert Strauss ... Beer Barrel
    Charles McGraw ... Cmdr. Wayne Lee
    Keiko Awaji ... Kimiko
    Earl Holliman ... Nestor Gamidge
    Richard Shannon ... Lt. (j.g.) Olds
    Willis Bouchey ... Capt. Evans (as Willis B. Bouchey)
    Keith Aldrich ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Corey Allen ... Enlisted Man (uncredited)
    Bill Ash ... Spotter (uncredited)
    Nadine Ashdown ... Cathy Brubaker (uncredited)
    Marshall U. Beebe ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Ray Boyle ... Marine Orderly (uncredited)
    Cheryl Callaway ... Susie Brubaker (uncredited)
    Steven Clark ... Pilot (uncredited)
    James Connell ... Assistant L.S.O. (uncredited)
    Jim Cronin ... Talker (uncredited)
    Gene Hardy ... Chief Petty Officer Second Class (uncredited)
    James Hyland ... Officer of the Day (uncredited)
    James Jenkins ... Assistant C.I.C. Officer (uncredited)
    Dickie Jones ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Bob Kenaston ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Robert Kino ... Bartender (uncredited)
    Paul Kruger ... Capt. Parker (uncredited)
    Burt Metcalfe ... Military Police Sergeant (uncredited)
    Lee Miller ... Officer Seated at Club (uncredited)
    Rollin Moriyama ... Bellhop (uncredited)
    Dick Morris ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Leo Needham ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Roger Pace ... Pilot (uncredited)
    Paul Raymond ... Spotter (uncredited)
    Gene Reynolds ... C.I.C. Officer (uncredited)
    Jack Roberts ... Quartermaster (uncredited)
    Robert A. Sherry ... Flight Surgeon (uncredited)
    Teru Shimada ... Japanese Father (uncredited)
    Charles Tannen ... Military Police Major (uncredited)
    Bob Templeton ... Military Police Sergeant (uncredited)
    Dennis Weaver ... Air Intelligence Officer (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    Valentine Davies (screenplay)
    James Michener (novel) (as James A. Michener)


    Original Music
    Lyn Murray


    Cinematography
    Loyal Griggs (director of photography)


    Trivia
    The U.S. Navy's cooperation in the movie's making included the use of 19 ships.


    The shipboard scenes were filmed on the U.S.S. Oriskany, whose number CV-34 is visible when Lt. Brubaker walks out to the bow to gather his thoughts before the mission. However, during shooting, the Oriskany needed repairs, and the shooting was completed on her sister ship U.S.S. Kearsarge, CV-33. For continuity the 33 was painted out and and replaced with a 34.


    The aircraft that Brubaker and his squadron fly is the Grumman F9F-2 Panther.


    The Japanese resort hotel that appears in the film is modeled on the Fujiya Hotel, located in the village of Miyanoshita near Mount Fuji. This famous hotel was actually commissioned by the U.S. Army as a "rest and relaxation" hotel for American soldiers for several years after World War II, and possibly up to the Korean War. The exterior shots of the hotel are real, but the lobby scenes appear to be studio replicas of the original lobby.


    Loosely based on the story of the VF-51 naval aviators, of which astronaut Neil Armstrong was a member.


    William Holden's younger brother, Robert Beedle, was a Navy fighter pilot who was killed in action in World War II. After this film was released, he was remembered by his squadron-mates as having been very much like the character of Lt Harry Brubaker.


    Writer James Michener wrote the story after spending time aboard the USS Essex. One of the pilots aboard the Essex at the time was Neil Armstrong. It is not known for certain whether any of the characters in the book or movie were based on Armstrong.


    For realistic close-up shots, William Holden learned how to taxi a fighter on the deck of an aircraft carrier.


    F9F Panther jets from US Navy squadron VF-192 were also used to film Men of the Fighting Lady (1954). After the filming of these two movies, the squadron name was changed from "Golden Dragons" to "World Famous Golden Dragons".


    Spoilers
    William Holden agreed to do the film on the sole condition that the producers keep the original ending of the novel, in which Lt. Harry Brubaker dies, and not turn it into a happy ending.


    The novel and film were based on actual missions flown by pilots of the U.S.S. Essex and U.S.S. Valley Forge against bridges at Majon-ni and Changnim-Ni, North Korea, in the winter of 1951-1952. The two rescue missions depicted in the film - the sea rescue of a pilot down in the Sea of Japan, and the attempted land rescue of a pilot down behind enemy lines -- both took place on the same day, February 8, 1952. However, unlike in the film, the jet pilot and rescue pilot from the U.S.S. Valley Forge who were shot down behind enemy lines both survived. They were captured by the North Koreans, taken to a prison camp, and released at the end of the war. At the time James Michener wrote his novel, the two pilots were officially listed as "Missing, presumed dead."


    Goofs
    Miscellaneous: In several scenes where Forney is flying with a green hat and scarf, when they show actual footage of the aircraft in flight, the pilot is wearing a helmet and goggles and no green scarf.


    Continuity: In the final segment, Forney's helicopter takes off with the number 3 but arrives at the rescue scene with no number.


    Crew or equipment visible: In one of the scenes showing March and Holden talking in the Admiral's quarters, the camera frames a little too high and some sort of equipment is seen bobbing up and down above the top of the set.


    Revealing mistakes: At the very beginning of the movie, an announcement is made that 2 flights will land in 10 minutes. A view of the landing area of the ship is shown full of aircraft. I know those sailors are fast but not fast enough to move all those aircraft in 10 minutes.


    Revealing mistakes: In a number of scenes, Holden's character goes from wearing his flight helmet to having his helmet off with no time to freshen up in between. Yet his hair is always perfect after taking off his helmet. In reality it would be a mess from the helmet and sweating.


    Continuity: When Brubaker is in his jet awaiting takeoff on the carrier, his cockpit is open and he is sitting so high that his head will hit the top of the cockpit when it is closed (noticeable in closeups). As his plane is maneuvered into position to takeoff, his cockpit is still open as his plane sits on the right of flight deck, both closeups and far shots show. However, another plane takes off and it is focused upon by the camera.


    Factual errors: Based on the 1953 novel by James Michener, the aircraft flown were actually F2H Banshees, not the more prevalent by 1955 F9F Panthers.


    Factual errors: In the scenes in sickbay after Brubaker is rescued, both CAG and Forney (A Chief Petty Officer) are seen wearing their hats. This is a horrible breach of Naval etiquette since removing one's hat in sickbay is a sign of respect for the sick or dying.


    Memorable Quotes


    Filming Locations
    Fujiya Hotel, Miyanoshita, Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan (exterior)
    USS Oriskany, Pacific Ocean
    Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().

  • The Bridges at Toko-Ri is based on a novel by James Michener
    about a naval aviator assigned to bomb a group of heavily defended
    bridges during the Korean War.


    It was made into a motion picture by Paramount Pictures
    and won the Special Effects Oscar at the 28th Academy Awards.
    It follows the book of the same title emphasizing the lives of the pilots
    and crew in the context of a war that seems remote to all except
    those who fight in it.


    The goal of the mission is set above everything else and the heroes perish
    as victims of fate. The novel and film are a composite of actual missions flown
    against bridges at Majon-ni and Changnim-Ni, North Korea,
    in the winter of 1951–1952, when Michener was a correspondent
    aboard the aircraft carriers Essex and Valley Forge,
    and with a pair of rescue missions on February 8, 1952,
    one of which involved the shoot-down of a plane off the Valley Forge
    .
    However, in the rescue incident referenced the downed airmen
    survived the crash and rescue attempt but were captured
    by North Korean soldiers.
    (At the time Michener believed the men to have been killed.)



    Willam Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March
    and Mickey Rooney with a top notch cast,
    make this into a well above average war movie.
    Duke 'Pal' Earl Holliman plays
    as Nestor Gamidge of helecopter rescue.
    Also a bit part for a young Dennis Weaver


    User Review


    A meritorious tribute to the heroism of the Jet-Bomber pilots...
    5 December 1999 | by ironside ( (Mexico)

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited once, last by ethanedwards ().