CinemaSerf
Jul 22, 2024
6/10
William Holden stars in/narrates this rather humdrum submariner story from the end of WWII and the commencement of the Korean War that offers little by way of uniqueness or jeopardy. Holden, himself, is fine - but the tale of an executive officer making a tough, ultimately tragic, battle decision that causes him to become a pariah to many of his crew is just too old hat, as is the ending which offers a redemption that was never really in doubt. Technically, it conveys some of the claustrophobic aspects of living and working on a submarine well; and William Bendix as "CPO Boyer" demonstrates how effectively a man can hold a grudge, but (no pun intended) it's all just a bit too shallow and procedural. Worth a watch for the photography, but the story is neither here nor there...