Dauntless: The Battle of Midway

Dauntless: The Battle of Midway
Directed by	Mike Phillips
Produced by	Mike Phillips (as Michael Phillips Jr.)
Written by	Adam Klein (screenplay); Adam Klein, Mike Phillips (story)
Starring	C. Thomas Howell; Judd Nelson; Jade Wiley; John Enick
Music by	Ryan Franks; Scott Nickoley
Cinematography	Jason Newfield
Edited by	Jason Newfield; Mike Phillips
Production; company	Bayou Pictures; Gypsy Lane Films
Distributed by	VMI Worldwide
Release date	September 6, 2019;
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Search Dauntless: The Battle of Midway on Amazon. Dauntless: The Battle of Midway (a.k.a. Dauntless as the working title) is a 2019 action film based on a true story dealing with the genres of war and aviation films. The title is taken from the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber that was a key weapon at the Battle of Midway.^[1] The film was written, directed and produced by Mike Phillips. The screenplay of Dauntless: The Battle of Midway was written by Adam Klein and based on an original story by Philips.

Plot[edit]

By June 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy has met with spectacular success at the Pearl Harbor and has swept across the Pacific, conquering vast areas. In an effort to change the course of the war, a United States Navy carrier group is positioned off the coast of Midway, tasked with springing a trap on the enemy. The Battle of Midway turns out to be a pivotal turning point of the Pacific war.

During the battle, a two-man dive bomber crew consisting of Captain Norman Vandivier (Jade Willey) and Ensign Lee Keaney (John Enick) from the Enterprise are in the first wave of dive bombers attacking and sinking a Japanese carrier. In their attempt to escape, their aircraft is brought down by enemy fire from a surface ship. Forced to ditch, the crew look towards their comrades for rescue.

The "misfit" crew of a Consolidated PBY Catalina led by Captain Jim Browning (C. Thomas Howell are sent to search for survivors of the battle including the downed Dauntless crew. While the human drama on the ocean continues, Admiral R.A. Spruance Judd Nelson confers with his top officers in planning for the second day of the battle, knowing that his aircraft must again attack a superior foe.

At the conclusion of the battle, with the attacking force running low on fuel and attempting to find their carriers in the dark. Spruance orders all lights on the carrier Task Force 16 to be turned on, helping some of his aircraft to limp home.

Amid the vast Pacific with days passing and the chance of rescue fading, the two men in the ocean are forced to face their own mortality. At the end of the second day of the battle, Keaney finally succumbs to his injuries and Hypothermia; Vandivier reluctantly pushes his crewmate away but ultimately Vandivier also succumbs to exposure.

When the Catalina flying boat takes up station again, Browning and his crew locate other survivors. ^{[Note 1]}

Cast[edit]

Jade Willey as Captain Norman Francis Vandivier
John Enick as Ensign Lee Keaney
Judd Nelson as Admiral R.A. Spruance
C. Thomas Howell as Captain Jim Browning[
Byrne Offutt as Captain Murray
Paul Kennedy Jr. as Jackson (as Paul Kennedy Jr)
Chris Roark as Ensign Thomas Wesley Ramsay
Drew Garrett as Wade McClusky Jr
Jack Malykin as Gallaher
Miles Tagtmeyer as Allison
Daniel Mckinley Rhodes as Reynolds
Demetris Hartman as Ware
Nate Slaughter as Steward
Adam Peltier as Bennett
James Austin Kerr as Banks
Aidan Bristow as Pags
Christopher Lee Page as Nussbaum
Will Ropp as Mansfield
Louie Chapman as Smokey
Jerry Buteyn as BMC Bob Ruch
Mendel Fogelman as Doc

Production[edit]

Although Dauntless: The Battle of Midway was written primarily by Mike Phillips with the help of Adam Klein who created the screenplay, Phillips had a personal interest in the story of Midway through a close connection with the family of Ensign Ramsay who fought in the battle.^[2] ^{[Note 2]}

Authenticity was ensured by the use of original after action reports as the screenplay of Dauntless (working title) was developed. The reports were written by Lt. Richard Halsey Best, Lt. W. Earl Gallaher, Captain George Murray and Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. Both Lt. Richard Halsey Best and Lieutenant W. Earl Gallaher launched from USS Enterprise, commanding the SBD Dauntless dive bombers attacks. Captain George Dominic Murray was the commanding officer on the USS Enterprise while Admiral Raymond A. Spruance commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet.^[3]

A brief contemporary account of the Attack on Pearl Harbor was shown in its original black-and-white newsreel-like footage but the remainder of the film was in color. Due to budget restrictions, heavy reliance on CGI was used for all flight sequences. An effort to accurately depict colors, markings and military hardware was seen.

Reception[edit]

Dauntless: The Battle of Midway did not see wide theatrical release being distributed through home media and streaming services.

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

↑ The true-life Captain Norman Vandivier and Ensign Lee Keaney were lost in the Battle of Midway.
↑ The rescue of Ensign Ramsay after his ditching during the Battle of Midway is depicted.

Citations[edit]

↑ Swanborough and Peter Bowers 1968, p. 87.
↑ "Thomas Wesley Ramsay." findagrave.com. Retrieved: July 20, 2021.
↑ Tillman 1998, p. 85.

Bibliography[edit]

Swanborough Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1968. ISBN 978-0-37000-099-2 Search this book on ..
Tillman, Barrett. The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1976 (softcover 2006). ISBN 0-87021-569-8 Search this book on ..
Tillman, Barrett. SBD Dauntless Units of World War 2. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998. ISBN 1-85532-732-5 Search this book on ..
Tillman, Barrett and Robert L. Lawson. U.S. Navy Dive and Torpedo Bombers of World War II. St. Paul, Minnesota, USA: Motor Books Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-0959-0 Search this book on ..

External links[edit]

Battle of Midway main topic page at the Naval History and Heritage Command
Battle of Midway (1942)—U.S. Navy propaganda film directed by John Ford. The Battle of Midway (1942) on IMDb Search this movie on
Victory At Sea: Midway Is East (1952)—Episode 4 from a 26-episode series about naval combat during World War II
Destination Point Luck: Voices From Midway (2008)—U.S. Navy Interviews of Battle of Midway Veterans

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[2] The true-life Captain Norman Vandivier and Ensign Lee Keaney were lost in the Battle of Midway.

[4] The rescue of Ensign Ramsay after his ditching during the Battle of Midway is depicted.

[1] Swanborough and Peter Bowers 1968, p. 87.

[3] "Thomas Wesley Ramsay." findagrave.com. Retrieved: July 20, 2021.

[5] Tillman 1998, p. 85.

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[Note 1]

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[Note 2]

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