In 1981, director Wolfgang Petersen became famous for this film adaptation of Lothar Gunther-Buchheim’s WWII novel, based on his experiences as a naval war correspondent aboard the U-96, commanded by Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock. Originally made as a miniseries for German TV, the film was edited to 2-1/2 hours for its theatrical release, and later re-released in a 3-1/2 hour Director’s Cut. Now the full 5 hour version is available on DVD. There are no 1-hr. episode breaks; it runs as one humungous movie on 2 discs.

All three versions are excellent; however, due to the law of diminishing returns, doubling the length will not necessarily double your enjoyment. The advantages of the Original Uncut Version are extra character development and a fuller sense of the rigors of U-boat life (well beyond the Director’s Cut). The viewer will have a deeper understanding and connection with the crew members, thus making their ultimate fate all the more poignant and bitterly ironic.

The plot follows a particularly hellish patrol in late 1941, starting from La Rochelle, France, where the old U-boat base still stands. At a raucous party at the Officer’s Club the night before departure, the main characters are introduced: the boat’s commander (Jurgen Prochnow, in his greatest role), referred to only as “Herr Kaleun” – a contraction of "Herr Kapitanleutnant"; his stiff, by-the-book First Officer (Hubertus Bengsch); the sly, wisecracking Second Officer (Martin Semmelrogge); the brooding Chief Engineer (Klaus Wennemann); and their special guest, naval correspondent Lt. Werner (Herbert Gronemeyer). Crammed together with their crew & provisions, they sail far out into the Atlantic to find and intercept the convoys that were Britain’s lifeline.

Between and during the suspenseful attacks and counterattacks, the common humanity of these sailors is revealed. At first it might seem odd to sympathize with these men fighting on the wrong side; but in fact the Kriegsmarine was not only less Nazified than the other German armed forces, the appalling U-boat losses led to cynicism among the sailors relatively early. One can view this as an anti-war film, in fact; the CO complains privately about their leaders being "full of hot air"; his men just want to complete the mission and return home alive. And like servicemen everywhere, they must endure the harsh elements, long stretches of tedium, and each other’s company, in addition to the terrors of combat. As an outsider, Lt. Werner has the hardest time adapting, although he does manage to befriend Ensign Ullmann (Martin May), who pines for his French girlfriend Françoise, whom we actually see in this version, played by Maryline Moulard.

The film is loaded with unforgettable scenes: the wild party in La Rochelle, featuring the irreverent veteran/drunkard, Kptlt. Thomsen (Otto Sander); the ordeal of a North Atlantic storm that lasts two weeks; harrowing depth-charge attacks that nearly sink the boat and drive one machinist (Erwin Leder) to a nervous breakdown; the skipper’s painful decision to abandon the survivors from a tanker he just sank. For those who still believe the old propaganda that U-boats machine-gunned survivors, the truth may come as a surprise: early in the war, it was common for U-boats to assist survivors when it was not too dangerous or impractical; you can look up the “Laconia Incident” to learn how that practice was banned.

The technical brilliance of the production is unsurpassed; a 250-man crew labored for two years and shot a million feet of film in the studio and at sea, using a full-size U-boat replica built from original blueprints as well as scale models. The interior set (still on display at Bavaria Film Studios) was meticulously detailed and mounted on gimbals to tilt and shake every which way. Cinematographer Jost Vacano captured the sense of claustrophobia by always shooting within the confines of the set. The original music by Klaus Doldinger adds considerably to the dramatic atmosphere.

Personally, I prefer to watch the Uncut Version in German without subtitles. The DVD has options for dialogue in German or English, plus subtitles in English or French. Also, you have the option of stereo or 5.1 surround sound (yum). The picture is in 1.85:1 widescreen format.

Oddly, though the Uncut Version subtitles include more of the background speech than the shorter versions, the Director’s Cut contains the more literally correct translations. In any case, you won’t be greatly misled. Though some of the original cast did the English dubbing as well, the dubbing is even less accurate than the subtitling (and some of the juicier profanities are toned down). Feh! If you’re obsessed enough to watch the whole five hours, you’d want to hear the best voices & dialogue possible, right? Besides, one of the film’s highlights is the salty sailor talk. Even without subtitles, you always know when these guys are discussing Subject A, and it sounds even dirtier in German. The longest Boot is the kinkiest, after all.

DVD extras include a scene selection index and a featurette about the making of the film (which you may have seen already with the other versions). The easy way to get the Uncut Version is to buy it online. I also recommend the Director’s Cut Superbit version, digitally remastered for superior picture quality. If you have the stamina for the full tour of duty and speak German, good for you, sailor: watch the Uncut Version and douse yourself with buckets of seawater.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age