In Harm's Way - Background and Production

Background and Production

It has been speculated that Wayne's lowkey performance was due to the fact that he was seriously ill with lung cancer when the film was made. Shortly after filming ended in August 1964 he was diagnosed with the disease and a month later underwent surgery to remove his entire left lung and two ribs. Co-star Franchot Tone was soon to develop lung cancer and died of the disease in September 1968.

Many of the non-military costumes and hairstyles worn by the women throughout the film were contemporary to the mid-1960s period during which the film was made, rather than of the early 1940s. This is particularly noticeable at the dance which opens the film. Many of the extras in this scene were, in fact, active duty officers and their spouses assigned to various commands in Oahu.

The film was shot in black-and-white by Loyal Griggs, who composed his scenes in the scope format often using deep focus (Griggs was nominated for a Best Cinematographer Academy Award for his work). Jerry Goldsmith's musical score is also notable, as is the work of Saul Bass in the credit titles sequence (this sequence actually comes at the very end of the film, an interesting departure from the norm in a major Hollywood production at the time).

The film received extensive cooperation from the Department of Defense, especially the US Navy and the US Marine Corps. Though at the time of the filming (late 1963–1964), very few ships in active Navy service resembled their WW-2 configuration, and the only WW-2 vintage heavy cruiser USS Saint Paul (CA 73) in the role of the straw bottom cruiser (referred to only as the "old swayback"), and an accompanying destroyer, USS Philip (DD-498), that took on the role USS Cassidy were extensively filmed on. Other US Navy ships that participated include destroyers USS Braine (DD 630), USS O'Bannon (DD 450), USS Renshaw (DD 499), USS Walker (DD 517), submarine USS Capitaine (SS 336) and the attack transport USS Renville (APA 227). All of the destroyers had to have their modern (1960s) ASW gear covered over with fake gun-mounts or deck houses. Additional smaller vessels were provided in support, as well as an HU-16 Albatross amphibious aircraft, even though said aircraft did not enter the US inventory until 1949. The HU-16 likely substitutes for a PBY Catalina, of which no flyable examples were likely available for the film schedule.

Another anachronism is the widespread use of the M151 MUTT light utility vehicle as a World War II jeep instead of the World War II-era Willys MB and/or Ford GPW, the M151 having not even entered production until 1959. Also used were a few 1950s vintage 63 ft USCG rescue launches that were made over to resemble Elco 80 ft torpedo boats, as the few that existed were not available for use.

The climactic battle with the Japanese fleet was staged mostly with model ships. Kirk Douglas thought the special effects poor and complained bitterly to both the director and the studio about it. He offered to re-stage the scenes at his own expense using the special effects people who worked with him on Paths of Glory.

Other ongoings that went down during the filming included Kirk Douglas being allowed to hold Yom Kippur services for Jewish Naval Officers who were extras on the set and a clash between director Preminger and actor Tom Tryon which climaxed when Preminger screamed behind Tryon "RELAX!!" The stars of the film successfully talked Tryon into staying with the film: he almost quit.