It's a rare and satisfying occasion when a motion picture of the war combines sound drama, reasonable authenticity and good taste. Such, we're glad to report, is the case with Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

The superb special effects (plenty of convincing miniature work) earned an Academy Award.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo remains an impressive depiction of Doolittle’s Raid, particularly in how much effort went into making the film feel authentic.

ultimately succeeds not because it meticulously recreates every tactical decision behind the Doolittle Raid, but because it remembers what truly mattered: the extraordinary courage of ordinary people.