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1941

Play trailer Poster for 1941 PG Released Dec 14, 1979 1h 58m Comedy Action Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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39% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, residents of California descend into a wild panic, afraid that they might be the next target. Among them are Wild Bill Kelso (John Belushi), a crazed National Guard pilot; Sgt. Frank Tree (Dan Aykroyd), a patriotic, straight-laced tank crew commander; Ward Douglas (Ned Beatty), a civilian willing to help with the American war effort at any cost; and Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell (Robert Stack), who tries his hardest to maintain sanity amid the chaos.
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1941

1941

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Critics Consensus

Steven Spielberg's attempt at screwball comedy collapses under a glut of ideas, confusing an unwieldy scope for a commensurate amount of guffaws.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Milne Sight & Sound 1941 is perhaps one of those films that should be seen twice, so that disappointed expectations over the wayward behaviour of the slapstick no longer get in the way of pleasure over what goes on alongside it. Jan 16, 2020 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times It may possibly be that Mr. Spielberg has chosen gigantic size and unlimited quantity as his comedy method in the awareness that he has no gift whatsoever for small-scale comic conceits. Rated: 1.5/5 May 9, 2005 Full Review Ian Freer Empire Magazine Unworkable farce, it maybe, but it is also blessed with the buzz of brilliance. Rated: 3/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Jana Monji Age of the Geek This film erases both the worries and the activism of Asian Americans at an important time in Los Angeles history and totally ignores the existence of anti-Asian sentiments that was clearly reflected in legislation. Rated: 1/5 May 1, 2024 Full Review John Ferguson Radio Times Widely regarded as the one Steven Spielberg disaster, this sprawling comedy never deserved all the flak that was thrown at it. Rated: 3/5 Apr 4, 2024 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 1941 is a cold cadaver that Spielberg insults with malign complacency. [Full review in Soanish] Jan 16, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (836) audience reviews
Cole R This movie was absolutely hilarious! There were some inappropriate jokes that weren’t suitable for children but overall the movie was great! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/14/24 Full Review Audience Member All sequences perspire bad taste. So cringe. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/03/24 Full Review Jacob B One of Steven Spielberg's weaker movies, if not his weakest, 1941 isn't really that bad in my opinion. It arguably for me leans more towards the "least good" side of okay. I'd probably settle more towards bad by Spielberg standards but, when judged on its own merits, a passable WWII-set comedy. The film is rather hammy, most of the film felt like a never-ending climax and Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script satirising wartime paranoia feels like they were still trying to find their feet, which they eventually would once they got the chance to make Back to the Future. I agree with Spielberg's views on the film that the issues he had it stemmed less from outright hating it but feeling that it wasn't funny enough. Indeed, the Indiana Jones movies were arguably funnier than this pure comedy that sticks out like a sore thumb due to otherwise being in the midst of a winning streak after Jaws. But I didn't hate this film. The actors are all doing their best with some of them even seeming to be having fun, there are a couple of jokes that work, it has one of John Williams' more underrated scores, most of the characters are likeable and once the insanity begins, I can't deny that I was having fun. Seriously, the visual effects were insane and elevated by Spielberg's direction. I don't think a more hacky director could've helped bring the two Bobs' script to life as effectively as he did here. The Blues Brothers had more glorious property damage though, but this came out first so I'm willing to cut it some slack. Though the best scene in the film was a dance battle set just before the craziness begins thanks to genuinely solid choreography and comedic timing. Hey, the film can't be that bad if even detractors admit to liking this scene. 1941 is far from Spielberg's best, even if we're only taking his popcorn-friendly projects into account, but it's still far from boring and definitely a memorable film in its own right. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/19/24 Full Review Jay H An interesting failure from Steven Spielberg. It's well made technically, but it's just not funny. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/05/24 Full Review Alec B Excessively zany but it's fun to see Spielberg so unconstrained by convention, sentimentality, or good taste. The kind of wild movie that could only result from a kind of youthful hubris and complete artistic control. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/24 Full Review Campolongo C Every scene is slapstick. Which drugs did they have? I want some of them. I don't know what the budget was but I think it was about 30 millions or so. Great underrated movie. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
1941

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Cast & Crew

1941

Movieclips: John Williams: 11 Incredible Themes Movieclips: John Williams: 11 Incredible Themes 27:14 1941: Official Clip - Wood, Hollis P. 1941: Official Clip - Wood, Hollis P. 4:02 1941: Official Clip - Patriotic Duty 1941: Official Clip - Patriotic Duty 1:55 1941: Official Clip - Lost 1941: Official Clip - Lost 1:32 1941: Official Clip - Japanese Christmas Trees 1941: Official Clip - Japanese Christmas Trees 2:32 1941: Official Clip - Don't You Dare Fire That Gun 1941: Official Clip - Don't You Dare Fire That Gun 1:36 1941: Official Clip - The Ferris Wheel Rolls 1941: Official Clip - The Ferris Wheel Rolls 2:38 1941: Official Clip - Something in the Water 1941: Official Clip - Something in the Water 1:30 1941: Official Clip - Mass Hysteria 1941: Official Clip - Mass Hysteria 1:29 1941: Official Clip - Dance Hall Brawl 1941: Official Clip - Dance Hall Brawl 1:29 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, residents of California descend into a wild panic, afraid that they might be the next target. Among them are Wild Bill Kelso (John Belushi), a crazed National Guard pilot; Sgt. Frank Tree (Dan Aykroyd), a patriotic, straight-laced tank crew commander; Ward Douglas (Ned Beatty), a civilian willing to help with the American war effort at any cost; and Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell (Robert Stack), who tries his hardest to maintain sanity amid the chaos.
Director
Steven Spielberg
Producer
Buzz Feitshans
Screenwriter
Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, John Milius, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Distributor
Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures, A-Team, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Action, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 14, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2010
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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