The first occurs when Wayne and Neal are alone together in his apartment, the night before she is about to be shipped out. Two scenes in particular make this film stand out. Torrey also tries to repair his relationship with his estranged son Jeremiah (Brandon De Wilde), and finds time to conduct a 'twilight romance' with nurse Lieutenant Maggie Haynes (Patricia Neal). On the personal side, Torrey tries to help his second-in-command, Paul Eddington (Kirk Douglas), who, as they say, is going through some personal problems of his own. But Nimitz (Fonda) knows that Torrey is a good commander, and when timorous politician-turned-Admiral Broderick (Dana Andrews) botches a key operation, Nimitz turns control over to Torrey, giving him a second chance. Wayne plays Rockwell Torrey, a naval officer blamed for the Pearl Harbor disaster, and demoted.

Watch for Henry Fonda in a small part as Admiral Nimitz (referred to as 'CINCPAC II'). Like other Preminger pictures of the time (Exodus, Advise and Consent) it has a big-name cast and an 'epic' feel. As for the film itself, it is a character-driven story with the World War II setting used as a backdrop.

It also marks Wayne's first of three films with Kirk Douglas, and his only film with director Otto Preminger. First, it marked his last appearance in a Black and White film, and second, it was his last film before undergoing surgery for lung cancer. In Harm's Way is a film that is historically important in the career of its star, John Wayne, for two reasons.

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