Although a number of years after this picture was released, I served for 2-1/2 years as an officer on a U. S. Navy ship, so I gained an extra enjoyment and appreciation for this movie. This was especially true with regard to the realistic shipboard filming. On many other "Navy" flicks," even where well-done, you can't help but imagine the actors walking away from their "ships" at the end of the day's scenes - and proceeding about a hundred paces out the door and into the Hollywood parking lot. Not so here.
In all the history of "talking pictures," from 80 or so years ago, there probably haven't been any two famous, leading actors more reserved, low-key, and phlegmatic than Mitchum and Jergens. They might even be 1-2 (in either order) on such a list.
However, and especially together, as the American and German adversaries, this style works perfectly - and an already-excellent production is all the better for it. Again, in other naval films, the captain spends much of the time shouting frantic directives, and you still know he's doing this only a few hundred feet from his car in the lot outside the sound stage. Bob and Curt bring a calm, deliberate, realistic and intelligent perspective to their characters.
In addition, the American and German captains were not the extremely-opposite caricatures so often portrayed in war films.
This picture has shown frequently recently, and I've enjoyed it every time I was able to catch it.
In all the history of "talking pictures," from 80 or so years ago, there probably haven't been any two famous, leading actors more reserved, low-key, and phlegmatic than Mitchum and Jergens. They might even be 1-2 (in either order) on such a list.
However, and especially together, as the American and German adversaries, this style works perfectly - and an already-excellent production is all the better for it. Again, in other naval films, the captain spends much of the time shouting frantic directives, and you still know he's doing this only a few hundred feet from his car in the lot outside the sound stage. Bob and Curt bring a calm, deliberate, realistic and intelligent perspective to their characters.
In addition, the American and German captains were not the extremely-opposite caricatures so often portrayed in war films.
This picture has shown frequently recently, and I've enjoyed it every time I was able to catch it.