318 317TH PLATOON, THE [FrenCH: LA 317ÈME SECTION]
scenes that it is hard to distinguish them from a few news shots cut in. As a matter
of fact, all of the production involving planes and technical action is so fine that
the film has the tough and literal quality of an Air Force documentary... it is cer-
tainly a most stimulating and emotionally satisfying film” (Crowther, 1944).Reel History Versus Real History
In general terms, the movie version of Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a faithful adap-
tation of Lawson’s book, though the film widens its focus and pres ents a more
evenly paced procedural history that recounts the planning of the raid, the pi lot
training, the voyage of the Hornet, the raid itself, and its aftermath. Lawson’s under-
standably more subjective account devotes much more time to his ordeal in China
after crash- landing and his recovery stateside. Other changes were made to con-
form to Hays Code strictures and for propaganda purposes. Trumbo’s script passes
over the extremely risky, even foolhardy, nature of the Doolittle mission that put
half the U.S. Pacific Fleet in jeopardy on a mission of negligible military value.
Accordingly, in the movie, the bomber pi lots are excited to leave early when the task
force is spotted by a Japa nese patrol boat. In real ity, the sighting meant that they
would not have enough fuel to reach their destination airfields in China (i.e., the
raid suddenly became a de facto suicide mission). An early departure also meant
that the raid would have to occur in daylight hours, when the bombers were more
vulnerable to being spotted and attacked by Japa nese anti- aircraft fire and fight-
ers. The film’s depiction of Lawson’s crash landing is historically accurate, though
his injuries were actually far worse. Although the movie does pays tribute to the
Chinese for their invaluable help in rendering medical aid to American fliers and
getting them to safety, it completely elides the fact that Japa nese occupation forces
exacted a terrible retribution, costing a quarter million Chinese lives so that Amer-
icans could enjoy a short- lived boost in morale.317TH PLATOON, THE [FRENCH: LA 317ÈM E
SECTION] (1965)
Synopsis
During the final days of the First Indochina War in Vietnam in 1954, a French
army platoon isolated behind enemy lines tries to rejoin friendly forces farther
south. It is led by an inexperienced, idealistic sous- lieutenant (played by Jacques
Perrin), assisted by adjutant Willsdorf (Bruno Cremer), a battle- hardened WWII
veteran of the Werhmacht.Background
A volunteer cameraman for the French Army’s Cinematographic Ser vice during
the First Indochina War, director Pierre Schoendoerffer (1928–2012) was at the
Battle of Diên Biên Phu (1954) and was captured when it fell to the Viet Minh. After
spending four months as a prisoner of war, Schoendoerffer was repatriated to France
and worked as a journalist for Paris Match and other magazines before becoming