Introduction

Report from the Aleutians is a 1943 documentary propaganda film produced by the US Army Signal Corps about the Aleutian Islands Campaign during World War II.

Find out more in the docuseries “Five Came Back“.

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Outline

In contrast to the other technicolor films made in the Pacific war, Report from the Aleutians has relatively little combat footage, and instead concentrates on the daily lives of the servicemen on Adak Island, as they live and work there while flying missions over nearby Kiska. The film opens with a map showing the strategic importance of the island, and the thrust of the 1942 Japanese offensive into Midway and Dutch Harbour. Photographs of the pilots who beat the Japanese back at Dutch Harbour are passed before the camera. “There is no monument to these men. If you want to see their monument, look around you.”

The American forces dug in at Adak Island, and there commenced daily bombing missions over the Japanese who had taken Kiska. The film focuses on their routine activities such as harbour patrols, messes, news boards and mail call. “Ask any pilot. He’d tell you he’d gladly fly an extra trip over Kiska to get just one letter.” One pilot’s crash landing is shown, and his funeral is filmed.

The last twenty minutes or so of the film is taken from footage taken over a mission over Japanese positions. The monotony of the one-hour trip there is emphasised, noting that some have taken up “mental solitaire” on the way over. But at Kiska there is no lack of excitement, as several loads of bombs are dropped over the Japanese, and fire is exchanged by the tailgunner. At the end of the film the servicemen at Adak are shown rejoicing that all of their comrades have returned.

Huston included shots showing the monotony of Army life, e.g. latrine digging and cigarette smoking, and Army authorities objected to the inclusion of these scenes. However, Huston fought for the inclusion of these scenes and eventually prevailed, although after a delay of a couple of months.

Production & Filming Details

• Narrator(s): John Huston and Walter Huston.
• Director(s): John Huston.
• Producer(s): John Huston.
• Writer(s): John Huston.
• Music: Dmitri Tiomkin (uncredited).
• Editor(s): John Huston (uncredited).
• Production: Army Pictorial Service.
• Distributor(s): War Activities Committee of the Motion Pictures Industry.
• Release Date: 30 July 1943.
• Running Time: 47 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.