Written by Henry Salomon and Richard Hanser, “Victory at Sea” (1954) is a black-and-white feature-length film adaptation of the television series (NBC, 1952-1953) about naval warfare during World War II. The film, which is narrated by Alexander Scourby, features first-hand archival footage of the battles it references and a famous score by Robert Russel Bennet. This installment of the film is part 1 and depicts the first 50 minutes of the 90-minute documentary and largely focuses on the beginning of WWII and the Western Front with some attention given to the war in the Pacific.
Film opens, opening credits (0:07). Debris, surviving soldiers in North Atlantic; Remnants/ survivors of submarine warfare (1:02). Montage shots of bombs raining down on Europe, buildings being flattened to the ground across Poland, Norway, Belgium, Russia (Barmaley Fountain, Stalingrad), Holland, France (1:53). Displaced people flee fighting, horse-drawn carts packed to brim with personal belongings; Mass graves (2:08). Londoners shelter in tube station Piccadilly Circus, footage from Battle of Britain (2:38). Attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes take off from aircraft carrier in middle of Pacific; Cuts to scenes of calmness, unsuspecting Honolulu as enemy planes (Aichi D3A Type 99 ‘Val’) lurk overhead, close-up Aloha Tower (3:22). Japanese strategy of dominating South East Asia, footage destruction, chaos across Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia as Japanese carry out conquest (7:30). Hitler stands aboard train, rides across Europe, view from window of packed train platforms filled with Nazi flags and supporters (8:20). Colosseum in Rome, Hitler meets Mussolini (1938), aerial views of military parade in city center (8:37). Hitler visits Nazi naval fleet (9:32). Emperor Hirohito aboard Japanese Imperial Fleet (9:48). Draft in America, Roosevelt signs Selective Service Act, young men report for duty and complete training, American home front rallies behind efforts (10:27). America and the Pacific Theater: American naval fleets patrolling at sea, 1942 America’s first offensive action with Japan on Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands), footage as Marines head to land to begin offensive (13:14). Marines face treacherous conditions in Guadalcanal, camouflage among trees/grasslands, target enemy in jungle; Other missions across the Solomon Islands and New Guinea (15:34). British Royal Navy holding crucial battle line in Mediterranean from Gibraltar to east of Suez Canal; Strategy of Sir Francis Drake, Horatio Nelson (19:38). Italian surface fleet (Regia Marina); Battle of Calabria between Italy and Britain; Fleet of RAF Curtiss Mohawk IVs bombardment from air; Axis armies defeated at sea affecting delivery of supplies to troops stationed across North Africa (21:28). Operation Torch: British, American invasion of French North Africa; Consolidated B-24 liberator (24:38). Axis POWs of North Africa and Stalingrad (25:00). American home front, mass production of weapons, tanks; Aerial view of supplies piled high outside factory, goods loaded onto carrier ships in New York Harbor (25:12). Aerial view of convoys with supplies in vast open sea, aerial cover provided by planes/ blimps, nonetheless North Atlantic deemed “Black Pit” and threat of U-boat attack lurked everywhere, natural threat of fog (26:00). Admiral Karl Dönitz, German commander of submarine warfare, “wolfpack” strategy (28:58). Allies improve means of detection, tide shifts in the Atlantic in favor of Allies, depth charges force U-boats far below surface (32:23). Aerial view Port of Naples, beginning of March on Rome, rubble and ruins across Italy and rounding up of axis soldiers, footage liberation of Rome after Battle of Monte Cassino; Speech Pope Pius XII at Vatican (34:46). Normandy Landings: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower D-Day Message; Operation Overlord boats crossing English Channel for Europe, Allied assault on German Luftwaffe prior to invasion, landing crafts arrive on beach and assault on Western front commences (37:19-45:33). Pacific Theatre: Montage debris, destroyed jungle and coastline, killed soldiers in the surf; American submarines sinking Japanese merchant ships (45:36). Pearl Harbor base for submarine repairs, relaxation of soldiers between deployments; Waikiki Beach; Hula dancers (47:20). American ships battle against natural threat of typhoons at sea in middle of Pacific (49:31). Film ends (53:14).
