1941
A film review by Martin Wendelborg
Copyright 1997 Martin Wendelborg
(7 Submarines out of 10 possible)
1941 followed a pair of huge hits from Steven Spielberg, "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". The script, originally entitled "The Night the Japs Attacked" was written by two then fresh-out-of-film-school writers named Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, who would later find big success in a Spielberg-produced movie named "Back to the Future".
The plot, loosely based on actual events, concerns a panic that arises in Los Angeles when they think they are under attack by Japanese bombers. The characters, plots and subplots are numerous and the locales plentiful. In a movie with so many characters, some are bound stick out more than others. John Belushi plays "Wild Bill" Kelso, a fighter pilot in pursuit of what he thinks is a Mitsubishi Zero; Slim Pickens plays a christmas tree vendor, Hollis Wood, who is captured by a wacky Japanese submarine crew, including the commander (Toshiro Mifune) and a German officer (Cristopher Lee); Dan Aykroyd plays Sergeant Tree, who doesn't like to see Americans fighting Americans; Treat Williams is Corporal Sitarski, who hates eggs.
Any story in "1941" can be overlooked, as it is just an excuse to create crazy, off-the-wall set pieces and incredible situations. As a comedy, it is largely hit-and-miss. Unfortunately it is more miss than hit, but especially John Belushi manages to create some hilarious moments throughout the film. It's a shame he's in it as little as he is. Spielberg and company seem to have worked from the attitude that "bigger, faster, more" equals "better" and it shows as the movie goes from one big set-up to the next.
"1941" can be appreciated on this one point. You must struggle hard to find a movie this big, crazy, immature and uncontrolled. One scene, especially, stands out as great after seeing it - a huge fight scene at an SCO dance. Appreciation for the other craziness, which includes cannons, airplane chases, ferris wheels, submarines and gas stations, is variable. There is a lot of screaming, shouting and general noise throughout the movie.
Other good points to "1941" include terrific special effects, great production design, and a superb score by John Williams.
However, the spectacle and pace of "1941" can be very tiring, which is probably why it to attract crowds at the box office. Too often, possibilities for humor are killed by the uncontrolled pounding of gags taking place. The whole movie feels like a young, successful filmmaker out of control, which might not be too far from the truth about "1941". Still, for the very reasons it doesn't quite work, "1941" is truly a one-of-a-kind movie.
Available on laserdisc from Universal Home Video is an extended cut of "1941" which includes many new scenes with Bobby DiCicco, and also cut scenes of less than subtle sexual references (including a scene where Ned Beatty tells his daugter to show the soldiers "a good time".)
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