Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)

Nothing like watching an action packed Submarine movie on a Fall afternoon during football season. Normally I would watch my beloved G-Men, (The New York Football Giants) take on their NFL opponents but this year things are different. Arrogant uninformed NFL players are taking a different approach by refusing to stand for the National Anthem. They feel that their being profiled due to the color of their skin so kneeling or sitting is their defiant message to America. Legally they can do what they want. I am personally offended cause I was taught to stand in honor of our great Men And Woman who serve in our military. As for the movie our star is the elder Iconic Clark Gable who plays a Submarine commander P.J. Richardson who lost his ship earlier and wants revenge against his Japanese destroyer Captain nemesis Bungo Pete. Bungo Pete is responsible for the sinking of three U.S. Ships in the hazardous waters of the aforementioned. A frustrated desk bound ex-commander Richardson tries to influence the Navy Board to commission him with another sub. The board agrees but with the condition that his first officer is someone who is seasoned in active duty. Enter first officer Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster). Richardson evenhandedly trains his new crew for his sub the USS Nerka with one proviso issued by his superiors is that they are forbidden to enter the dangerous waters of the Bungo Straights. Richardson and Bledsoe quickly are on the offensive as I enjoyed the cat and mouse activities of Naval warfare. Watching Gable on patrol watch and issuing the famous cry, "DIVE DIVE DIVE!" Lancaster as the patient and obedient first lieutenant who handles the in-fighting as certain members of the crew who are insubordinate. Lancaster's acting was so natural as his dis- pleasure of Gable's command comes through naturally. There's a good reason with Lancaster's annoyances with Gable. Lancaster was the producer of this film and ran things on a tight schedule. Everyday at 5:00 Gable would call it quits. Even in the middle of crucial scenes, Gable would walk off the set. Don Rickles and Jack Warden stand out as active crew members in this underwater thriller. Rickles questioning authority and Warden dissatisfied with his commanders decisions. This all surfaces with an exciting confrontation you won't want to miss. You also see a declining elderly Gable who appears just a shell of a man against the strong and confident Burt Lancaster the new generation of Hollywood's heart throbs to take over the reins.

Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)It's a clichéd submarine war drama, but it's also a good movie and well worth watching. Desk-bound in Hawaii, Commander Richardson (Clark Gable) had his submarine sunk at the infamous Bungo Straights and wants to get another crack at the Akikase destroyer. So he swings getting command of another sub with the top brass.First Officer, Lieutenant Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster) is the Captain apparent, but has to babysit Richardson instead. His whole crew is antagonistic, especially when he drills them for days, getting them trained for a difficult bow shot of the Akikase. When Commander Richardson finally goes into the Bungo Straights, it's right out of Moby Dick, but you knew it was going to happen.The crew is filled with great actors, including; Jack Warden, Don Rickles, Brad Dexter, and Nick Cravat who has been in many of Lancaster's movies.

Clark Gable plays "Rich" Richardson, a submarine commander whose previous boat had been sunk. He's subsequently given a new sub to command, and a new XO in Lieutenant Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster). While back at sea, he's itching for some payback, and disobeys direct orders from his superiors to avoid a certain area. Soon, the commander and the crew will find themselves stalked by a stealthy enemy.What's truly impressive about "Run Silent Run Deep" is how utterly convincing it is. The filmmakers, led by the talented director Robert Wise, were sticklers for accuracy, and everything looks and sounds authentic. There's no melodrama to be found here, nor is there any bloat: the film clocks in at a reasonable one hour and 33 minutes. All of the tension is genuine, and the storytelling is done in an efficient, no-frills style. Franz Waxmans' score is excellent, but the absolute best scene comes late in the film when score and sound effects are dropped out. The suspense then becomes extremely palpable.Lancaster, a star who subscribed to the theory of balancing projects done for artistic reasons and ones done for commercial reasons, delivers a wonderful low key performance as the lieutenant who doubts his commanders' ability to lead but never oversteps his boundaries. Gable is appropriately intense, and these two men get a good odd couple chemistry going as their characters butt heads. The top notch supporting cast are all 100% believable: Jack Warden, Brad Dexter, Don Rickles (who does have some amusing moments), Nick Cravat, Joe Maross, Eddie Foy III, and Rudy Bond.Even for a film released 57 years ago, the special effects are reasonable and don't distract from the scenario one bit.This is a very fine example of the war / submarine genre.Eight out of 10.

ALL:Before the 'Hunt for Red October' there was 'Run Silent, Run Deep'- a classic Hollywood drama about a WWII submarine and two Alpha male Navy officers vying for the control of their submarine and the loyalty of its crew. The film deviates from the book, although this fact does not detract from the movie. The script, acting and script are mature, exciting and without needless or dull scenes. The novel was written by a WWI navy submariner and serving US Navy Commander, Commander Edward L. Beach, Jr. , so this helped to ensure for a realistic submarine story.This movie ranks up with the great top submarine movies which in my own personal order are: 1) Das Boot 2) Run Silent Run Deep 3) K-19: The Widowmaker 4) Hunt for Red OctoberI only exclude the 'Hunt for Red October' in the top three listing because it is more a story that focuses on the personality of the Soviet officer over the SSBN Typhoon class submarine (Note: Typhoon class ballistic submarines by interest of design and long range) were primarily watered in Soviet controlled waters vice going on international blue water and continental shelf domains as these journeys were both un-necessary and greatly exposed the huge vessels to un-necessary detection).