REPORT FROM THE ALEUTIANS

(director/writer: John Huston; cinematographers: Rey Scott/Jules Buck/Buzz Ellsworth ; editor: John Huston; music: Dimitri Tiomkin; cast: John Huston (Narrator); Runtime: 47; MPAA Rating: NR; MGM; 1943)

“This short feature is a treat.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

John Huston (“The Dead”/”Under the Volcano”/”Prizzi’s Honor“)was in the army at the time with a rank of captain, serving in the Signal Corps., when he made this efficient wartime documentary for the state department.The film provides in great detail the activities of the American military, stuck on a barren island named Adak with severe weather conditions, desolate surroundings and a bleak atmosphere, but who proudly are protecting Alaska’s Aleutian Islands from Japanese attack. There’s great photography showing US bombers attacking the Japanese occupied island of Kiska. With Huston’s rich voice narrating with empathy for the grunts, who carry out this dirty mission with dignity. The lively award-winning propaganda documentary gives us a look back at the last war many Americans felt was a just one and gives us a chance to reflect on so many civilian soldiers who died to protect our free way of life.For those who care to see how the battleground really looked and not how Hollywood staged it for its 1940’s John Wayne pics, this short feature is a treat.It was shot over a period of six months.

REVIEWED ON 10/12/2011 GRADE: B