Mission accomplished! According to Roger Ebert, 1941 ”reduces itself to an assault on our eyes and ears, a nonstop series of climaxes, screams, explosions, double-takes, sight gags, and ethnic jokes that's finally just not very funny.”
1941 had other problems. Both John Wayne and Charlton Heston turned down parts because they thought the script disrespected America. (Imagine what they thought in Japan.) Roles that were previously bit parts became overinflated time-wasters when young comedy stars like John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd signed on.
“I really didn't know what I was doing on this movie,” admits Spielberg. “I think one of the reasons it came out so chaotic is I really didn't have a vision for 1941. It was sort of like trying to stop a herd of kids at your local Toys R Us.”
Moviegoers knew right away 1941 stunk. At a preview, Spielberg looked out “and at least 20 percent of the audience had their hands over their ears. I knew we were in big trouble at that point.”
“I'm not sure if it's the fault of the director or of the editor, but I've seldom seen a comedy more ineptly timed,” wrote Vincent Canby in the New York Times. “1941 is less comic than cumbersome, as much fun as a 40-pound wrist-watch."
By the way, don’t spill any tears for Spielberg’s career. His next two films after 1941 were Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. The Extra-terrestrial.