This is one of these propaganda and efficienty made warfare movies of the 40s that delivers comic relief in the form of romance . WWII glory movie with a love triangle, submarine battles and agreeable scenes. It deals with second-in-command, a handsome lieutenant : handsome Tyrone Power, who falls hopelessly in love for school teacher : Anne Baxter, only to find out after that she is Submarine Commander Dana Andrews' fiance. Once this little tidbit information is disclosed, things go wrong. Later on, the two sea officers embark on a mission to destroy a Nazi port and a submarine responsible for laying mines in the North Atlantic. And subsequently taking place a terrestrial intervention by a brave commando to vanquish the Nazi enemy fortress, using machine gun, dynamite and other destructive means.
Nice film containing good action, thrills , evocative and impressive sea battles and adequate special effects with a lot of explosions. As FX, miniatures and scale models are pretty well, however, some boats look like toys. Based on a story by prestigious W. R. Burnett and script by Jo Swerling, though it relies heavily on the silly and improbable love story with a non-sense triangular romance. It provides an excessively jingoist view point, as at its final part, it pays a real tribute to Navy, its Cruisers, PTs, Destroyers , Submarines and its crews. Stars three big name actors of the Forties and Fifties, the good-looking Tyrone Power, the always brilliant Dana Andrews and Academy-Award winning Anne Baxter as the woman loved by two naval commanders aboard the same sub. This one has the bonus of a fine support cast, such as : the veteran James Gleason, Dame May Witty, Henry (Harry) Morgan, John Archer, Ben Carter, Frank Conroy, Stanley Andrews, among others.
It contains a thrilling and moving musical score by David Buttolph. As well as shimmering and glimmer cinematography in Technicolor by master cameraman Leon Shamroy who won three Oscars to his name by 1945, and he photographed several super-productions. The motion picture was professionally and skillfully directed by Archie
Mayo, though with not originality, being a simple super-patriotic movie. Archie Mayo had a decent cinematic career, directing acceptable films, such as : Night after night, The Mayor of hell, Bordertown, It is love I'm after, Four sons, Confirm or deny, Orchestra wives, Night in Casablanca, being his greatest hit : The petrified forest. Rating : 6/10 acceptable and passable wartime picture that will appeal to genre lovers.
