Destination Tokyo

Released Dec 31, 1943

2h 15m

War

List

67%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant) is in charge of a submarine on a mission so secret even he doesn't know what it is until his ship departs San Francisco and he opens his sealed orders. His task -- to pick up a meteorologist (John Ridgely) and travel to the coast of Japan to gather weather information for the Doolittle Raid, the first air strike on Tokyo. Along the way they fight to elude detection from Japanese ships and eventually face off against an enemy aircraft carrier.

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

As a propaganda vehicle, of course, it has tiny moments of tension when Cary Grant gives the orders on board the submarine, but slowly, it sinks into the sea of formulas. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jan 3, 2023

Full Review

Don Q.

Cine-Mundial

The cast is unbeatable. [Full review in Spanish]

Sep 13, 2019

Full Review

Steve Crum

Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Fine WWII propaganda rouser starring Grant and Garfield.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 6, 2007

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

An intelligent WWII propaganda film.

Rated: B-

Feb 22, 2006

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 4/5

Jul 17, 2005

Full Review

Eric Lurio

Greenwich Village Gazette

Rated: 2/5

Dec 21, 2004

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Russ

Was probably well received by its war-time audience but it hasn't aged well. The probability of an actual mission of the kind portrayed here is nil. Good performance by the elder Allen Hale - father of "the Skipper" on Gilligan's Island - as the sub's cook. Decent special effects for the time; how Hollywood staged those underwater sub shots with torpedoes and depth charges I'll never know. Not that they're particularly realistic, mind you; just a testament to the model-maker's art and camera work in a big tank.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/24/23

Full Review

jeffrey g

One of the best WWII sub movies ever. Excellent cast and action.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

steve d

Strong cast and still exciting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The best thrilling and inspiring movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

Excellent example of WW2 era war film with all the attending patriotism and jingoism

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This was a great and highly enjoyable WWII submarine thriller for me. One of my favourite American war films made during wartime and easily the grittiest performance I have ever seen from Cary Grant. Some marvelous and exciting work with a great supporting cast of fine actors from that era that one just loved to see when going through films of that particular epoch. Very fine stuff to see here for the adventurous cinephiles out there who just assume Grant was a lazy comic actor who sleepwalked through his films.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

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Delmer Daves

Director

Cary Grant

Capt. Cassidy

John Garfield

Wolf

Alan Hale

'Cookie' Wainwright

John Ridgely

Reserve Officer Raymond

Dane Clark

Tin Can

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Synopsis

Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant) is in charge of a submarine on a mission so secret even he doesn't know what it is until his ship departs San Francisco and he opens his sealed orders. His task -- to pick up a meteorologist (John Ridgely) and travel to the coast of Japan to gather weather information for the Doolittle Raid, the first air strike on Tokyo. Along the way they fight to elude detection from Japanese ships and eventually face off against an enemy aircraft carrier.

Director: Delmer Daves
Producer: Jerry Wald
Screenwriter: Delmer Daves, Albert Maltz
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 31, 1943, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 15m

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