Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

This Memorial Day I decided to watch Crash Dive, a 1943 color tribute to our Submarine Service and the US Navy in general. The movie has acting like you seldom see today, featuring Tyrone Power, Dana Andrews, Ann Baxter, and James Gleason. The photography and special effects are beyond reproach.

The movie starts out showing a PT Boat patrol cruising at high speed along its route somewhere in the Atlantic. The power, speed and grace of the PT Boats are undeniable. The commander of the squadron spots a lifeboat and has his signalman notify one of the boats to break formation and pick up survivors. The commander of the PT Boat breaks off and starts to pick up the occupants. Suddenly he spots the periscope of a German U-Boat. He does a depth charge run over the disappearing U-Boat, sinking it. The film cuts back to base at New London, Connecticut where the skipper is treated to a hero's welcome. His picture is in the newspaper with a story crediting him with the kill.

The skipper, Lt. Ward Stewart (Tyrone Power) reports to HQ for orders. The commander is out, but he is met at the office by the Admiral, his Uncle Bob. Uncle Bob goes over Lt. Stewart's illustrious record in the PT Boats, in the Destroyers, in the Battleships, and in the Submarines. He asks how Ward likes submarines. Ward says he loves PT Boats, he wants to stay with them forever. The Admiral tells him he is being reassigned to Submarines...

Ward reports for submarine duty as the XO (Executive Officer) of the Swordfish, skippered by Lt. Commander Dewey Connors (Dana Andrews). The two men hit it off famously and become a terror to German shipping in the Atlantic.

At this point a useless (to me) subplot is thrown in, Tyrone Power charms schoolmarm Ann Baxter, not knowing she is Dana Andrews' girl. This creates tension between the two heroes. Connors reports to Naval Intelligence that he knows there is a secret German base, somewhere in the area. The Swordfish is tasked to find it. On their cruise, they find a German tanker and Stewart wants to sink it, but Connors belays the order and instead follows the tanker. He reasons that the tanker is going to the secret base and they can follow it through the submarine nets and minefields. Once inside, he assigns volunteers commanded by Stewart to make a commando raid, destroying shore facilities like ammo dumps and fuel tanks. It is as good a raid as the fabled Navy Seals could hope to put on! They destroy the entire base and the submarine sinks all the ships. Of course, there are narrow escapes for both men and the crew.

The photography, by Leon Shamroy, is absolutely wonderful with brilliant color and clarity both above and under the sea. There are tremendously realistic depth charging sequences, both in the PT Boat sequence and in the later Submarine sequences. The special effects won the Academy Award.

Acting was excellent from the principal actors, as well as James Gleason as the old salt Chief MacDonnell and a fine performance from a black actor who served as Mess Steward and one of the commandoes on the Swordfish.

If you want to see an excellent adventure story, filmed well and with highly skilled actors, you will want to see Crash Dive

Other WWII films I recommend are Hell is for Heroes, The Great Escape, Tora, Tora, Tora, and Saving Private Ryan.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening