In Harm's Way

Preminger's direction is competent, but uninspired. He has a bad habit of making everything much too explicit, and the film is over-long.

John Wayne is in every sense the big gun of In Harm’s Way. Without his commanding presence, chances are director-producer Otto Preminger probably could not have built the head of steam this film generates and sustains for two hours and 45 minutes.

It goes on and on, the slowness exacerbated by Preminger's customary long takes and by the endless parade of star cameos.

You can't kill John Wayne. That's the message -- the only message -- that comes through loud and clear in Otto Preminger's big war film, In Harm's Way.

Preminger is a master at organizing huge casts and busy scripts, sacrificing the expected rousing battle thrills for a detailed but removed look at the complexities (physical, emotional, and political) involved in launching a battle campaign.

The overarching message of In Harm's Way gets in the way of providing three-dimensional characters or a drama that engages the viewers emotions, beyond patriotic flag-waving.

So-so.

To the lack of coherence that Preminger demonstrates throughout the film, we add the complete disinterest by flat and blurred characters. [Full Review in Spanish]

Why did so normally astute a trend setter as Mr. Preminger decide to make a Pacific-war melodrama ten years too late?

Thematically, this WWII drama is a typical John Wayne fare--the Duke imparts lessons of manhood and honor--but technically, it's an atypical Preminger movie, slow-paced and shapeless.