In Steven Spielberg’s 1941, the American city threatened by a Japanese attack is Los Angeles.
The 1979 film is a large-scale comic war satire set shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Its story imagines panic and confusion in Los Angeles as residents and military personnel fear that the city will be attacked next.
The film uses an ensemble cast that includes Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Nancy Allen, Tim Matheson, and Treat Williams. Its plot combines fictional characters with the atmosphere of wartime Los Angeles and references to real military anxieties.
The title refers to the year 1941, not to a specific operation shown as historical fact. Although the film draws on the wartime period, its exaggerated action, broad comedy, and chaotic set pieces make it a parody rather than a literal account of an attempted attack on Los Angeles.