Battle Of The Coral Sea (1959)

In 1942, WWII rages in the South Pacific. A submarine commander (Cliff Robertson) and his crew are captured and taken to a POW camp on a small Japanese held island. The commander has top secret information that can change the course of the war. Is he willing to sacrifice the lives of all his men or will he talk? The battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 was one of the decisive naval battles of WWII. Despite the title of the film, the actual battle is relegated to about 4 minutes of archival footage at the end of the movie. The focus of the film is the commander protecting his men while still not giving the Japanese vital information. As a POW drama, it's no GREAT ESCAPE but it's an agreeable if minor action flick that is able to generate suspense and entertain. While most films of this ilk are predominantly all male, the film cleverly manages to insert two females in prominent roles. Gia Scala as an interpreter for the Japanese and Patricia Cutts (THE TINGLER) as an Australian nurse, the only female prisoner. Directed by Paul Wendkos (GIDGET). With Teru Shimada, Tom Laughlin and Rian Garrick.