The Gallant Hours
| The Gallant Hours | |
|---|---|
original movie poster
|
|
| Directed by | Robert Montgomery |
| Produced by |
James Cagney Robert Montgomery |
| Written by |
Frank D. Gilroy Beirne Lay, Jr. |
| Starring | James Cagney |
| Narrated by |
Robert Montgomery Art Gilmore |
| Music by |
Roger Wagner Ward Costello (theme song) |
| Cinematography | Joseph MacDonald |
| Edited by | Fredrick Y. Smith (editorial supervisor) |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1,500,000 (U.S./ Canada) |
The Gallant Hours is an American docudrama from 1960 about William F. Halsey, Jr., and his efforts in fighting against Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II.
This film was directed by Robert Montgomery, who also did uncredited narration, and it stars James Cagney as Admiral Halsey. Featured in the cast are Dennis Weaver, Ward Costello, Vaughn Taylor, Richard Jaeckel, and Les Tremayne. The screenplay was by Frank D. Gilroy and Beirne Lay, Jr., and the unusual a cappella choral score was composed and conducted by Roger Wagner, although the theme song was written by Ward Costello.
The film was produced by Montgomery and Cagney, and it was the only film made by their joint production company. It was released by the United Artists company on June 22, 1960.
The film starts and ends with these words from the score's song performed by the Roger Wagner chorale Group, which sums up the story of the film:
The Gallant Hours depicts the crucial five-week period in October–November 1942 after Admiral Halsey (James Cagney) took command of the beleaguered American forces in the South Pacific Area. That period of combat became a turning point in the struggle against the Japanese Empire during the World War II. The story is told in flashback, framed by Halsey's ceremony of going on inactive duty in 1947. (Note that officers of five-star rank never retire. American five-star rank is a lifetime appointment with full pay and benefits.)
...
Wikipedia