The 1970 movie Tora! Tora! Tora! captured the essence of the Japanese air force attack on the U.S. naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. The word “Tora” from the film’s title comes from a two-part Japanese codeword communicating that the attack had been a successful surprise.
The film’s script was written by American Larry Forrester and acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Both Forrester and Kurosawa viewed events at Pearl Harbor as a tragedy, and Forrester was eager to collaborate with Kurosawa to tell a balanced story.
Research for the film was extensive. Historians were consulted, as were military officers on both sides who were present on the fateful day of December 7th, 1941.
While some critics panned the film for its plodding storyline, history buffs and aviation aficionados appreciated the vivid action scenes. And it was a blockbuster hit in Japan. Viewers valued the evenhanded treatment of the Japanese. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning “Best Special Effects” in 1970.
Learn more in the Larry Forrester papers at UW’s American Heritage Center.