Target For Tonight (1941 Documentary)

Target For Tonight (1941 Documentary)

Author: Awesome Movie Year April 9, 2025 Duration: 52:41

The fifth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features our documentary pick, Harry Watt’s Target for Tonight. Written and directed by Harry Watt and starring members of the Royal Air Force, Target for Tonight was the first documentary feature to be awarded an Oscar.

The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Variety, the Monthly Film Bulletin (http://www.screenonline.org.uk/media/mfb/997449/index.html), and Colvin McPherson in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyear 

You can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/

You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/

If you’re a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.

You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/ 

Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.

All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.com

Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to exclusive content from Awesome Movie Year and Piecing It Together, plus music by David Rosen: https://www.patreon.com/bydavidrosen

Please like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1941 episode, featuring Josh’s personal pick, Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels.


Ever wonder what makes a particular year in cinema truly stand out? Awesome Movie Year digs into that very question, one remarkable film at a time. Co-hosted by film critic Josh Bell alongside filmmaker and comedian Jason Harris, this podcast picks a single, noteworthy year each season and meticulously explores what made it so special. Rather than broad overviews, every episode zooms in on a different movie from that chosen year, offering a deep dive into its impact, its cultural moment, and its lasting legacy. The conversations blend critical analysis with a genuine love for the medium, thanks to the hosts' complementary backgrounds. Produced by David Rosen of Piecing It Together for the All Points West Podcast Network, the show has a polished yet conversational feel. You’ll hear about blockbusters and hidden gems alike, all through the lens of why they mattered then and why they still resonate. It’s for anyone who loves to look beyond the screen and understand the context that creates a classic. Tune in to Awesome Movie Year for a thoughtful and engaging tour through some of cinema’s most fascinating periods.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 375

Awesome Movie Year
Podcast Episodes
The Philadelphia Story (1941 Jason's Pick) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:06
The ninth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features Jason’s personal pick, George Cukor’s The Philadelphia Story. Directed by George Cukor and starring Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart…
Dumbo (1941 Animation) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:23
The eighth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features our animation pick, Disney’s Dumbo. Directed by Ben Sharpsteen and starring the voices of Edward Brophy, Verna Felton, Cliff Edwards and Herman…
Ornamental Hairpin (1941 Foreign Film) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:04
The seventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features our foreign film pick, Hiroshi Shimizu’s Ornamental Hairpin. Written and directed by Hiroshi Shimizu and starring Kinuyo Tanaka, Chishū Ryū and…
Sullivan's Travels (1941 Josh's Pick) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:35
The sixth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features Josh’s personal pick, Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels. Written and directed by Preston Sturges and starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake, Su…
All That Money Can Buy (1941 Box Office Flop) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:04
The fourth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features the year’s biggest flop, William Dieterle’s All That Money Can Buy. Directed by William Dieterle and starring James Craig, Walter Huston, Edward…
The Iron Crown (1941 Venice Film Festival Winner) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:17
The third episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features one of the Venice Film Festival’s top award winners, Alessandro Blasetti’s The Iron Crown. Directed and co-written by Alessandro Blasetti and sta…
The Maltese Falcon (1941 First Feature) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:21
The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features our pick for a notable debut feature, John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon. Written and directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary A…
Sergeant York (1941 Box Office Champ) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:53
The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1941 features the box-office champion, Howard Hawks’ Sergeant York. Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Gary Cooper, Joan Leslie, Walter Brennan, Margaret Wy…
Easy Rider (1969 Bonus Episode) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:48
This special bonus episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1969 features Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider. Directed and co-written by Dennis Hopper and starring Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Luke Askew, Ea…
Airplane! (1980 Audience Choice) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
The twelfth episode of our special retrospective 20th season looks back to the awesome movie year of 1980 with our audience choice winner, the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker production Airplane!. Written and directed by Jerry Zu…