Leofwine_draca DESTROYER is another WW2 story from America with touches of propaganda as you'd expect from a contemporaneous wartime thriller. The story is designed to raise enthusiasm and loyalty for America's battleships in their vast stand-off with the Japanese. However, instead of following the usual gung-ho war film route, DESTROYER is very much a character piece without much in the way of battle action.The story is a two-hander with added trappings. The main character is Edward G. Robinson, always ready to get his teeth into a complex part, and he's very effective here too. He plays an engineer whose promotion goes badly when it turns out his inexperience has lost him the respect of his crew, in particular a youthful Glenn Ford, who lost his own promotion to make way for Robinson. Nearly the entire story is about these two guys and the differences between them. They insult, argue, and occasionally punch each other out, so the conflict is near-constant.Ford makes for a rather unpleasant individual here whom the viewer never warms to although there's some warmth in the supporting actors, even if they're limited to clichéd parts. More action-focused sequences don't really evolve until the second half, although things build to an effective against-the-clock climax in which the suspense is high. DESTROYER is no classic but it's watchable enough thanks to Robinson's inimitable presence.

MartinHafer "Destroyer" is a clearly a wartime propaganda film meant to encourage the troops and folks at home in the war effort. It also is a bit formulaic at the same time--with the familiar theme of the obnoxious braggart falling on his face and then redeeming himself by the end of the film. And, the film stars a way too old Edward G. Robinson (50 at the time) in the lead. Yet, despite these hits against it, the film works exceptionally well and is well worth your time.The film begins with learning that the old destroyer, the USS John Paul Jones, being sunk in action. Soon after, they order a replacement--a new John Paul Jones. At the shipyard, you see an old worker, Steve Boleslavski (Robinson) rallying the men and encouraging them to build the best fighting ship. After all, he served on the old John Paul Jones and plans on going back to active duty and serving aboard the new one if he can.So, Steve and his buddy 'Kansas' (Edgar Buchanan) sign up with the Navy (apparently they must have just begun the new 'geezer brigade'). And, after pushing the Commander of the ship (Regis Toomey), he's able to secure a spot aboard as the Chief.Now you'd think everything would go smoothly, but it doesn't. First, Steve is so gung ho and pig-headed that he manages to alienate himself from the crew. His talk of 'my ship' all the time and talk about the old days certainly didn't help. Second, the ship seems almost cursed--and during two shakedown cruises, it's riddled with problems. Eventually, the Navy is so sick of the repeated failures that the ship is given the ignominious task of delivering mail--not fighting. The crew, not surprisingly, is dispirited--after all, a destroyer should not be kept out of the action.During their time as a mail carrier, the ship is kept out of the action. However, the Japanese are sneaky and the attack ends up pulling the John Paul Jones into action anyway. Unfortunately, although the ship is able to fight off a squadron of Japanese planes, she's badly damaged in the process--listing and seemingly ready to go down during her first engagement with the enemy. When a sub is discovered nearby AND the engines go out, it looks like that's all she wrote for the ship. Can Steve and the crew manage to redeem themselves and the ship? Considering this was made during WWII, what would you think? The film works for two big reasons. The acting is very good and they manage to make the most of the material. And, more importantly, the film is action-packed and exciting. The final 15 minutes of the film were very well done (even if the Japanese planes were really American ones painted to look Japanese) and really leave the viewer breathless and excited. Well worth your time.By the way, in addition to seeing Glenn Ford in a major role, Lloyd Bridges (well before he became a star) can be seen VERY briefly. For example, he's lying in a bunk during a scene where the crewmen are talking about the ship becoming a mail ship. Look sharply or you'll miss him!

thinker1691 The movie " DESTROYER " is based on an inspiring story written by Frank Wead and directed by William A. Seiter. Filmed during the war years to inspire a nation, it did just that. With a fabulous cast which includes the like of Edward G. Robinson, Glenn Ford, Edgar Buchanan, Leo Gorcey and Regis Toomey as Lt. Cmdr. Clark, the entire group does an excellent job of inspiring any audience who views it. It's a simple story of American construction men who not only build war ship but then reenlist to sail in it as well. The movie also includes the war years back home and the moral boosting women manning the U.S.O. clubs back home. It dates back to W.W.II and how difficult it was to to convince a nation to support a war that was necessary, not contrived as we have recently done. A Good show with a good cast. ****

whitehornet47 Edward G. Robinson cast's off in a rousing wartime tale of an untried destroyer crew pitted against the Japanese, and against their own ship. Robinson plays a dedicated machinist in a downright heroic role (for a change), and shows that he could lift this fairly routine combat epic out of the dull-drums -- almost on his own. The special effects and action sequences are first rate by the standards of the day, and overall the film has a good pace to it. It has been a few years since I have seen Destroyer, but the thing I best remember is Robinson relating the story of John Paul Jones and the Bon Homme Richard to the disheartened crew. Its corny and obvious, but he is so earnest that you practically feel like jumping in there to help him out.