★ 7 / 10
This superior wartime submarine story is about an
CinemaSerf
This superior wartime submarine story is about an American captain (Gable) who seeks to avenge the loss of an earlier ship to a Japanese destroyer by…
This superior wartime submarine story is about an American captain (Gable) who seeks to avenge the loss of an earlier ship to a Japanese destroyer by perfecting a very difficult "bow shot" technique that would enable him to torpedo this fast moving enemy head on. Burt Lancaster portrays his popular XO who ought, originally, to have had that command but has been passed over; and the film depicts the evolution of their taut and mistrusting relationship. Gable is on good form as his character treads a very thin line between reason and obsession and Lancaster works hard to keep himself and the crew under control. The direction is tense and the chemistry between these two men works really well. This is more than a post-war grandstanding picture; it does touch on the psychology of command and of grief, and is well worth an hour and a half of your time.
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★ 8 / 10
Great film!
grahamsj3
WOW! is all I can say. This is the most realistic submarine film of it's day. I don't think anybody equaled this film in this genre until Das Boot was released…
WOW! is all I can say. This is the most realistic submarine film of it's day. I don't think anybody equaled this film in this genre until Das Boot was released nearly 30 years later. Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster star in this epic about a submarine and a mission. Others have commented at length on the basic story, so I'll leave that alone. Only a couple of details bothered me. The men were all too clean and well-shaven to be sub sailors. Some of the last WWII US Subs built had air conditioning, so that could explain the cleanliness and lack of condensation in the boat. Still, the entire crew should have been growing beards for the entire length of the cruise since water was too precious to be used for shaving or bathing while at sea. The only shipboard scene that I felt was unrealistic was one scene in the crew's mess. The space shown is far too large to have been aboard a US Fleet boat. Otherwise, I found the film to be a great depiction of the way life was aboard a US sub during WWII. The acting is superb by the entire cast, but it should be with names like Gable, Lancaster and Warden. This is one of the greats!
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★ 8 / 10
Gable and Lancaster are well matched.
Hey_Sweden
Clark Gable plays "Rich" Richardson, a submarine commander whose previous boat had been sunk. He's subsequently given a new sub to command, and a new XO in…
Clark Gable plays "Rich" Richardson, a submarine commander whose previous boat had been sunk. He's subsequently given a new sub to command, and a new XO in Lieutenant Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster). While back at sea, he's itching for some payback, and disobeys direct orders from his superiors to avoid a certain area. Soon, the commander and the crew will find themselves stalked by a stealthy enemy.
What's truly impressive about "Run Silent Run Deep" is how utterly convincing it is. The filmmakers, led by the talented director Robert Wise, were sticklers for accuracy, and everything looks and sounds authentic. There's no melodrama to be found here, nor is there any bloat: the film clocks in at a reasonable one hour and 33 minutes. All of the tension is genuine, and the storytelling is done in an efficient, no-frills style. Franz Waxmans' score is excellent, but the absolute best scene comes late in the film when score and sound effects are dropped out. The suspense then becomes extremely palpable.
Lancaster, a star who subscribed to the theory of balancing projects done for artistic reasons and ones done for commercial reasons, delivers a wonderful low key performance as the lieutenant who doubts his commanders' ability to lead but never oversteps his boundaries. Gable is appropriately intense, and these two men get a good odd couple chemistry going as their characters butt heads. The top notch supporting cast are all 100% believable: Jack Warden, Brad Dexter, Don Rickles (who does have some amusing moments), Nick Cravat, Joe Maross, Eddie Foy III, and Rudy Bond.
Even for a film released 57 years ago, the special effects are reasonable and don't distract from the scenario one bit.
This is a very fine example of the war / submarine genre.
Eight out of 10.
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