The Enemy Below (1957)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Dick Powell

Writers:

Wendell Mayes (screenplay)
D.A. Rayner (novel)

Release Date:

8 January 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller | War

Plot:

During World War II, an American destroyer meets a German U-Boat. Both captains are good ones, and the engagement lasts for a considerable time.

Plot Keywords:

U Boat | Destroyer | Duel | Ship | South Atlantic

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Capt. Murrell
Curd Jürgens	...	Von Stolberg (as Curt Jurgens)
David Hedison	...	Lt. Ware (Executive Officer [XO]) (as Al Hedison)
Theodore Bikel	...	'Heinie' Schwaffer
Russell Collins	...	Doctor
Kurt Kreuger	...	Von Holem
Frank Albertson	...	Lt. (j.g.) Crain
Biff Elliot	...	Quartermaster

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | USA:Approved (certificate #18627) | Canada:G (video rating) | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | UK:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Hawaii, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

To add further confusion to the ship's identity, although called the Haynes in the movie, the ship's hull number is shown as DE-181, which was the USS Straub, a Cannon class destroyer escort.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: On board the U-boat we hear the sea depth given as "310 meters"; that's equivalent to 170 fathoms or 1,020 feet. We then hear the same depth given on board the destroyer as "150 fathoms". Murrell converts it in his head first to meters, then to feet, even though as an experienced American seaman he would certainly know that 1 fathom is exactly 6 feet. Furthermore, although the fathom depth was wrong, he converts to the right value: "310 meters - that's over 1,000 feet".

Quotes:

Captain Murrell: I have no idea what he is, what he thinks. I don't want to know the man I'm... trying to destroy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crimson Tide (1995)

Soundtrack:

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden

Respect for One's Enemies

Robert Mitchum is the new Captain of a destroyer on patrol in an area of the South Atlantic where there will be little chance for any action, or so the crew thinks. This is a new command for him, he lost his last vessel and was 21 days on life raft. Mitchum though he was in the merchant marine before World War II is as new to the navy as most of his crew.

Lurking beneath is Curt Jurgens in command of a U-Boat. Jurgens is a career navy man who's already given much for the fatherland, two sons lost. His submarine is on courier duty, not looking in fact for any combat.

But they find each other and The Enemy Below is about the cat and mouse game each of them play in trying to destroy the other.

With twelve years in between the end of World War II and the present it was now possible to portray Germans as three dimensional people, something rarely done during the war years. Jurgens at this time was a very big star on the European continent and was now getting roles that would introduce him to American audiences. He's very good as the professional, but tired U-Boat captain who just wants to get home.

He's matched all the way by Mitchum who's got a lot of doubts now having lost one ship already. The crew has some doubts too, but Mitchum proves worthy of the command he's been given.

The Enemy Below won the Academy Award that year for special effects. No ships in a tank, these are real vessels being used for this film.

Look for good performances by supporting players Theodore Bikel as the Executive Officer of the submarine, David Hedison as the Executive Officer of the destroyer and Russell Collins as the ship's doctor on the destroyer. You might note a small role for Doug McClure at the beginning of his career.