THE GALLANT HOURS  —-very low-key 1960 tribute to Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey, focusing on his responsibilities, frustrations and successes in the South Pacific during WW2, during the critical 1942-3 back & forth contest around Guadalcanal.

Directed by Robert Montgomery (an old Navy hand), it has no action (not even newsreel footage), just strategy and tactics talk, mainly set-bound. Enthusiasts of military history will find some interest (no excitement) but the dragline pace makes the 115 minutes a chore. Others will consider it a snore and navigate for port. James Cagney is the whole show—his acting here is the most restrained of his career; the usual energy tuned to subtlety, the customary sincerity intact. Halsey was a much saltier old salt in real-life, and had some damning controversy (sailing a fleet head-on into a typhoon just one example) that this frankly adoring piece ignores. The music score by Roger Wagner is made up of chorale arrangements of naval hymns and this unusual melodic background is moderately effective.

Chiming in with narration are director Montgomery and Art Gilmore. Many familiar and dependable faces look in as name-dropped historical personnel. Looking at Jimmy/Halsey with glowing admiration and brow-furrowed concern are Dennis Weaver (doing a variation of his folksy ‘Chester’ character from Gunsmoke), Richard Jaeckel, Les Tremayne, Carleton Young, Raymond Bailey, Carl Benton Reid, Walter Sande, Vaughan Taylor, Leon Lontoc, William Schallert, Karl Swenson, James T. Goto (as Adm. Yamamoto). Written by Frank D. Gilroy (The Subject Was Roses, From Noon Till Three)  and Beirne Lay, Jr. (Twelve O’Clock High, Strategic Air Command). Box office was $3,700,000, 69th in ’60.