Here's a very rare movie about submarine disaster. In fact, I don't rightly know of another. Perhaps because its the worst-case scenario for submariners and exposes the evident command futility in a crisis that other countries have not wanted the images portrayed. Having the courage merely to tackle such an awkward subject then certainly deserves some stars.
Life for submariners routinely entails a quantum leap of hazard compared to those within surface vessels. Anything going wrong - anything at all - might compromise the vessel and its crew. And this is what happens. John Mills - that diminutive, but ever-present military stalwart of the time - commands a British submarine out on 'routine' patrol. Things go wrong. It sinks within its test depth. Can the crew be rescued? There's a thoroughly decent cast make-up the crew, including Richard Attenborough (who goes to pieces once more, as he did in Coward's 'In Which We Serve'). All of the usual issues are addressed, and to that extent it's pretty formulaic. Where it differs from any other formula movie is that non of the solutions work.
A residuum of crew are doomed to death.
As I say; it's a grim little movie that ultimately evaluates reconciliation to the last hours of life. Submariners of Britain, USA, and Russia have all experienced this nightmare, as indeed have their families ashore. And although submarines have been around for over 100 years, even now there appears to be no dedicated response or recovery protocol either at a national or international level, as the relatives of the Kursk's crew discovered only too well.
If you have friends or relations serving in the silent navies, you may want to give this a miss. Otherwise dismiss its vintage and pay attention. What would we do today?
Life for submariners routinely entails a quantum leap of hazard compared to those within surface vessels. Anything going wrong - anything at all - might compromise the vessel and its crew. And this is what happens. John Mills - that diminutive, but ever-present military stalwart of the time - commands a British submarine out on 'routine' patrol. Things go wrong. It sinks within its test depth. Can the crew be rescued? There's a thoroughly decent cast make-up the crew, including Richard Attenborough (who goes to pieces once more, as he did in Coward's 'In Which We Serve'). All of the usual issues are addressed, and to that extent it's pretty formulaic. Where it differs from any other formula movie is that non of the solutions work.
A residuum of crew are doomed to death.
As I say; it's a grim little movie that ultimately evaluates reconciliation to the last hours of life. Submariners of Britain, USA, and Russia have all experienced this nightmare, as indeed have their families ashore. And although submarines have been around for over 100 years, even now there appears to be no dedicated response or recovery protocol either at a national or international level, as the relatives of the Kursk's crew discovered only too well.
If you have friends or relations serving in the silent navies, you may want to give this a miss. Otherwise dismiss its vintage and pay attention. What would we do today?