To Hollywood and Glory!

Rating: 10/10 (12 August 2014)

Here's the fun, irreverent, over-the-top (at times darkly humorous) film that reminds us NOT to take ourselves too seriously.
I understand the criticisms of this film, I just don't agree with them. Here we have an exercise in tone, not in plot. I've been watching this film since 1979 but it wasn't until College when I knew, with much relief, this Movie would be better remembered than its first impression.
When you view the USO dance as the breaking point, what comes before it acts as set-up and what comes after is the pay-off. The film builds a fevered, manic pitch. At the dance it starts to release that mania with a terrific dance sequence, one that feels like a 1940's musical, and nicely highlights the tense conflicts.
But then the fight starts, and...we're off.
The least interesting through-line is the romantic subplot, but the Director's Cut redeems it with Ned Betty's early discussion with his Daughter, Dianne Kay. In what I will describe only as "dad giving the birds-and-bees talk to his daughter," ends on an unexpected, shocking, and absolutely hilarious note. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, I know who has seen this film laughs at that scene. It hearkens back to Beatty's performance in "Network." Yeah, it's that good.
And I can't help but smile when I think of the two planes chasing each other down Hollywood Boulevard, weaving and spinning. And the young Japanese officer who cries "Hollywood!" at one point, but then later quietly whispers "hollywood" to himself as if remembering something he knows he can never see again. And Robert Stack inside that great movie house mouthing the lines to "Dumbo," even loudly clapping to no one but himself, as chaos erupts in the streets outside.
And of course John Williams' score. Of course.
No charge for this part:
Watch carefully and you see foreshadowing imagery for some of Steve Spielberg's future projects:

The LaBrea Tarpits (Jurassic Park) - Kelso on the Submarine (Raiders of the Lost Ark) - The USO Dance (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) - Walley and Dennis wear disguises to gain access to the USO Dance (Catch Me if You Can) - A Close flyby of a WWII single engine fighter plane (Empire of the Sun) - Wally remaining resolute in his Love for Betty as he's driven away from here(The Color Purple) - A Key Vehicle in a Motorcycle/Sidecar (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).

That last one's a stretch, but you get the idea. And there are more, but I leave those to better viewers than me.