The Battle of Midway

1942 0h 18m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 85

DocumentaryWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The Japanese attack on Midway in June 1942, filmed as it happened. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, in 2006.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

IndieFlixSubscription

IndieFlix Shorts Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Cast

Henry Fonda
Narrator (voice)
Jane Darwell
Narrator (voice)
Donald Crisp
Main Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Irving Pichel
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Ford
Writers: James Kevin McGuinness, Dudley Nichols, John Ford
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 18-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

84 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Ford, shot by John Ford. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Robert Parrish shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell and Donald Crisp carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0034498 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Ford directs. John Ford behind the camera. Alfred Newman scores. Robert Parrish cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 18-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
284 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by John Ford, shot by John Ford. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Alfred Newman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Robert Parrish shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell and Donald Crisp carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0034498 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 85 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: John Ford
Original score: Alfred Newman
Editing: Robert Parrish
Runtime: 18 min · 0h 18m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Battle of Midway (1942)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

John Ford

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-02-08
★ 6/10
Were it not for the fact that this comes with Adm. John Ford’s provenance attached to it, this short feature really wouldn’t amount to much more than a collection of newsreel-style actuality as the battle of Midway took place in the summer of 1942. It’s interesting that he chose enthusiastic Briton Donald Crisp to lead the narration with the likes of Henry Fonda, and there is a plethora of real-time action photography from aboard ship and plane to give this an authentic feeling of explosive and perilous reportage, but much of it’s value lies in it’s context: showing that barely six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States military was wreaking revenge and taking the fight very much to the enemy - and that it is winning too.

Production companies