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513:, also released in 2019. “The filmmakers’ commitment to authenticity is praiseworthy – indeed, the credits list several after action reports from the time as source material – as is their attention to lesser known aspects of the Midway story. The narrative eschews triumphalism, pulling no punches over the management of the battle which led to a shocking number of aircrews ending up lost, ditched or running out of fuel.”
470:. During location shooting, the ocean scenes were filmed outside Los Angeles as well as in a pool for closeups. Cinematographer Jason Newfield used a variety of ingenious camera platforms mounted on life preservers, dinghy and a yacht to achieve a realistic account of the stranded and drifting Navy crew. Three views of the crewmen in the water were from directly overhead using a drone, at water level and underwater.
29:
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led by
Lieutenant Bennett are sent to search for survivors of the battle, including the downed Dauntless crew of Vandivier and Keaney. While the human drama on the ocean continues, Rear Admiral R.A. Spruance confers with his top officers in planning for the second day of the battle, knowing that his
416:
was written primarily by Mike
Phillips with the help of Adam Klein who created the screenplay. Phillips had a personal interest in the story of Midway due to a close connection with the family of Ensign Ramsay who fought in the battle. For 15 years, he had worked to adapt the real-life story into a
301:
When the
Catalina flying boat takes up station again, Lieutenant Bennett and his crew locate a survivor in the water. After one of the crew swims out to bring the obviously exhausted Ensign Ramsay to the Catalina, Bennett is, however, distraught that he was unable to rescue his friend, Vandivier.
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did not see wide theatrical release, being mainly distributed through home media and streaming services. A DVD and Blu-ray edition was offered that included additional alternate endings, and two featurettes that documented the making of the film. Worldwide release of the film followed, including
505:
Reviewer David Duprey in ‘’ thatmomentin.com’’, keyed in on the obvious, “… without big studio money behind it, (it) falls well below expectations for your average movie fan used to jaw-dropping, seamless, ultra-realistic imagery. That’s not to say there’s isn’t some genuine effort to make it
420:
Douglas SB-2 Dauntless (B-11) from the
Bombing Squadron 6 (VB-6) on U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6) was assigned to pilot Ensign (ENS) Thomas Wesley Ramsay and Aviation Machinist's Mate (AMM2c) Radio-Gunner Sherman Lee Duncan. On June 4, 1942, Ramsay led his squadron of SBDs in the attack on the
425:. Subsequently suffering the same fate as most of his squadron, Ramsay and Duncan were shot down. The two aviators spent eight days in open water before being rescued by a PBY piloted by a former high school classmate of Ramsay's. In April 1943, Ensign Ramsay received the Navy Cross.
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aircraft carrier are in the first wave of dive bombers attacking and sinking a
Japanese carrier. In their attempt to escape, their aircraft is struck by enemy fire from a Japanese surface ship. Losing fuel and forced to ditch, the crew look towards their comrades for rescue.
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Both Lt. Richard Halsey Best and
Lieutenant W. Earl Gallaher launched from USS Enterprise, commanding the SBD Dauntless dive bombers attacks. Captain George Dominic Murray was the commanding officer on the USS Enterprise while Admiral Raymond A. Spruance commanded
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At the conclusion of the battle, the attacking US Navy aircraft are running low on fuel and desperate to find their carriers in the dark. Despite the opposition from his operations officer, Captain
Browning, Spruance orders all lights on the carrier
293:
Amid the vast
Pacific with days passing and the chance of rescue fading, the two men in the ocean are forced to face their own mortality. At the end of the second day of the battle, Keaney finally succumbs to his injuries and
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convincing, because undoubtedly a lot went into doing so …” At least one review by Gary
Collinson on flickeringmyth.com noted that the film contained “action-packed” sequences.
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Two full-scale models were built, with the main cockpit section of the SBD Dauntless recreated and the interior cockpit and radio station of the PBY Catalina also built as a
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and has swept across the
Pacific, conquering vast areas. In an effort to change the course of the war, a United States Navy carrier group is positioned off the coast of
432:(working title) was developed. The reports were written by Lt. Richard Halsey Best, Lt. W. Earl Gallaher, Captain George Murray and Admiral Raymond A. Spruance.
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was used for all flight sequences. An effort was evident to accurately depict period military colors, markings with replica military hardware and armament.
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was shown in its original black-and-white newsreel-like footage, but the remainder of the film was in color. Due to budget restrictions, heavy reliance on
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The true-life Ensign Norman Vandivier and Seaman 1st Class (Radioman) Lee Edward John Keaney were lost in the Battle of Midway. Vandivier was declared
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The account of Ensign Ramsay’s rescue in the film closely follows the family lore of his actions at the Battle of Midway.
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The review in navalairhistory.com does provide a sympathetic context for the film, especially after appraising
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film genres. The film was written, directed and produced by Mike Phillips. The screenplay of
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By June 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy has met with spectacular success at the attack on
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was written by Adam Klein and based on an original story by Phillips.
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as the working title) is a 2019 action film based on a true story of
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to be turned on, helping some of his aircraft to limp home.
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turns out to be a pivotal turning point of the Pacific war.
936:. St. Paul, Minnesota, USA: Motor Books Publishing, 2001.
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Films set in the United States Minor Outlying Islands
1037:Films about the United States Navy in World War II
934:U.S. Navy Dive and Torpedo Bombers of World War II
891:The Douglas SBD Dauntless, Aircraft in Profile 196
440:at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers
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921:. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998.
487:editions for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
185:$ 2,767,967 (estimated DVD and Blu-ray sales)
1137:Films about aviation accidents or incidents
282:aircraft must again attack a superior foe.
356:Chris Roark as Ensign Thomas Wesley Ramsay
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1107:World War II films based on actual events
901:The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II
874:Swanborough Gordon and Peter M. Bowers,.
858:“Dauntless: The Battle of Midway Review.”
846:“Dauntless: The Battle of Midway Review.”
833:“Dauntless: The Battle of Midway Review.”
860:‘’ thatmomentin.com’’, October 21, 2019.
835:‘’thatmomentin.com’’, September 8, 2019.
573:"Dauntless: The Battle of Midway (2019)"
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932:Tillman, Barrett and Robert L. Lawson.
878:. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1968.
848:“flickeringmyth.com”, October 22, 2019.
57:Mike Phillips (as Michael Phillips Jr.)
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876:United States Navy Aircraft since 1911
267:and S1 (Radioman) Lee Keaney from the
455:A brief contemporary account of the
1002:Action films based on actual events
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1167:English-language independent films
1132:Drama films based on actual events
919:SBD Dauntless Units of World War 2
603:Naval History and Heritage Command
389:Daniel Mckinley Rhodes as Reynolds
347:Adam Peltier as Lieutenant Bennett
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1062:Films set in the Marshall Islands
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788:"Dauntless: The Battle of Midway"
538:on June 30, 1942 and awarded the
261:Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber
208:. The theme of the film combines
49:Adam Klein, Mike Phillips (story)
1027:Films about the Battle of Midway
398:Christopher Lee Page as Nussbaum
263:crew consisting of pilot Ensign
238:Naval Air Facility Midway Island
957:Dauntless: The Battle of Midway
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813:"Dauntless - Rotten Tomatoes"
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259:During the battle, a two-man
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404:Jerry Buteyn as BMC Bob Ruch
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380:Paul Kennedy Jr. as Jackson
359:John Enick as S1 Lee Keaney
140:September 6, 2019
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352:Norman Francis Vandivier
341:as Lieutenant Commander
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760:. Sightline Media Group
401:Louie Chapman as Smokey
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277:The "misfit" crew of a
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47:Adam Klein (screenplay)
1147:Films set in the 1940s
997:2019 independent films
992:2010s historical films
754:"Thomas Wesley Ramsay"
457:Attack on Pearl Harbor
371:Mendel Fogelman as Doc
350:Jade Willey as Ensign
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1072:Films set on aircraft
1057:Films set in Honolulu
395:Aidan Bristow as Pags
255:SBD releasing a bomb.
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1162:2010s American films
1142:American drama films
1117:2010s survival films
777:Tillman 1998, p. 85.
1152:Sea adventure films
1052:Films set in Hawaii
1012:American epic films
702:"James Austin Kerr"
316:Raymond A. Spruance
1092:Pearl Harbor films
1007:American war films
889:Brazelton, David.
605:. 17 November 2015
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202:United States Navy
16:2019 American film
1087:Pacific War films
1047:Films set in 1942
1042:Films set in 1941
844:Collinson, Gary.
794:. 31 January 2020
728:"Mendel Fogelman"
343:Wade McClusky Jr.
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599:"Vandivier"
332:as Captain
323:as Captain
312:Judd Nelson
296:hypothermia
101:Ryan Franks
73:Jade Willey
70:Judd Nelson
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36:Directed by
977:2019 films
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540:Navy Cross
517:References
511:’’Midway’’
443:Enterprise
409:Production
377:as Steward
182:Box office
161:98 minutes
144:2019-09-06
109:Production
75:John Enick
44:Written by
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366:Will Ropp
253:U.S. Navy
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88:Edited by
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468:mock-up
177:English
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