Sydney Smith

James Cagney stars as war hero Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey in this classic directed by Robert Montgomery. On the verge of retirement, Halsey recalls his most fateful wartime experience: his five-week showdown between himself and Japanese Admiral Yamamoto in 1942. In command of the American naval forces in the Pacific, Halsey scores a crucial, tide-turning victory at Guadalcanal. In concentrating on the participants rather than the battle itself, The Gallant Hours is a character study of a remarkable American.

In this WWII adventure, a new commanding officer is sent to tighten the discipline of a group of navy underwater demolition experts, aka "Frogmen." Replacing a popular officer whom the men idolized, the new commander at first wins few friends with his strict style. He finally proves himself by risking his own life to disarm a live torpedo, and then helps the men prepare for the bigger mission of sabotaging a Japanese submarine base. The film was directed by Lloyd Bacon and stars Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews and Gary Merrill.

This absorbing film dramatizes five critical weeks in 1942 when Adm. William Halsey (James Cagney) led the U.S. Navy in a daring campaign against the Japanese that culminated in the American victory at Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. Focusing on the strategic battle of wills between Halsey and his Japanese counterpart, Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto (James T. Goto), this docudrama offers a compelling portrait of a bona fide American hero.

James Cagney is riveting as the legendary commander of South Pacific forces, Admiral William F. 'Bull' Halsey, in this extraordinary film that depicts his courageous actions during the Japanese war.