''Battle of the Coral Sea'' is a 1959

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war fi ...

directed by

Paul Wendkos Abraham Paul Wendkos (September 20, 1925 – November 12, 2009) was an American television and film director. Early life and education Wendkos was born in Philadelphia to parents Simon Wendkos and Judith Wendkos. Wendkos served in World War II ...

. It stars

Cliff Robertson Clifford Parker Robertson III (September 9, 1923 – September 10, 2011) was an American actor whose career in film and television spanned over six decades. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film '' PT 109'', and won the 196 ...

and

Gia Scala Gia Scala (born Josephine Grace Johanna Scoglio; March 3, 1934 – April 30, 1972) was a British-American actress. Early life Scala was born March 3, 1934, in Liverpool, England, to Sicilian father Pietro Scoglio, and Irish mother Eileen O'S ...

Plot

The crew of an American submarine are on a reconnaissance mission, photographing Japanese installations through a periscope camera. When attacked by the Japanese (with similarities to ) the submarine is

scuttled Scuttling is the deliberate sinking of a ship. Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vessel from becoming a navigation hazard; as an act of self-destruction to prevent the ship from being ...

and the crew is captured. Tortured by the Japanese, with the help of British and Australian prisoners the submarine's officers make an escape bid to get their information to the Allies. The film ends with footage of the

Battle of the Coral Sea The Battle of the Coral Sea, from 4 to 8 May 1942, was a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and naval and air forces of the United States and Australia. Taking place in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, the batt ...

(1942), which according to the film was made possible through the information brought back by the submariners.

Cast

as Lieutenant Commander Jeff Conway *

as Karen Philips *

Teru Shimada Teru Shimada (島田輝 ''Shimada Teru'', born Akira Shimada (島田明 ''Shimada Akira''); November 17, 1905 – June 19, 1988) was a Japanese-American actor. A '' Nikkeijin'' (first-generation Japanese-American), Shimada emigrated to the Unit ...

as Commander Mori *

Patricia Cutts Patricia Cutts (20 July 1926 – 6 September 1974)Patricia Cu ...

as Lieutenant Peg Whitcomb * Gene Blakely as Lieutenant Len Ross * L. Q. Jones as Yeoman Halliday * Robin Hughes as Major Jammy Harris *

Tom Laughlin Thomas Robert Laughlin Jr. (August 10, 1931 – December 12, 2013) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator, and activist. Laughlin was best known for his series of ''Billy Jack'' films. He was married to actress De ...

as Ensign Franklin *

George Takei George Takei (; ja, ジョージ・タケイ; born Hosato Takei (武井穂郷), April 20, 1937) is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the fictional starship USS ''Enterprise'' in the televi ...

as Japanese Radio Operator (uncredited) (Cast note: Both lead actresses died of unrelated

barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological addiction potential as we ...

poisonings in the early 1970s.)

Filming locations

Filming started March 1959.FILMLAND EVENTS: Gene Blakeley Set in 'Coral Sea' Los Angeles Times 5 Mar 1959: B12. Location filming was done on Santa Catalina Island and the

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

off the coast of California.

References

External links

* * 1959 films 1959 war films American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures films Films set in 1942 Pacific War films Seafaring films based on actual events World War II prisoner of war films World War II submarine films Films directed by Paul Wendkos Films scored by Ernest Gold Films produced by Charles H. Schneer 1950s English-language films {{WWII-film-stub