There have been many submarine movies made. Most involve a conflict between the Captain and the Executive Officer. One of the first to do it is still one of the best, Run Silent Run Deep.

Burt Lancaster plays Lt. Bledsoe who is just about to take command of a sub when he finds out that it is going to Commander Richardson, Clark Gable. Once the sub is at sea the Lt. and crew question the Commander's judgment. He passes by an easy target. The crew believes him to be a coward.

As the movie opened Commander Richardson was the captain of a different sub that gets sunk by a particular Japanese Destroyer. He passes up the chance to make the kill because he desperately wants to sink and get revenge on that Japanese Destroyer. It is selfish and it makes for a good argument between him and the Lt.

This is a good drama that has enough action to keep the pace moving well enough. U-571 owes a lot to this movie. It steals some similar plots and scenes. One important note is that the special effects are just as good in this film, made in 1958, as they are 40 years later in U-571. If the depth charges scenes in Run Silent Run Deep were in color they would be just as realistic.

The cast is great. Gable has a role that actually required him to act. Other than an early scene with his wife his signature toothy grin is not to be found. This could be a sequel for From Here to Eternity for Burt Lancaster's character. Sure he is in a different branch of the service but in both films his character is popular with the men under his command. Also of note, Don Rickles has a small role as one of the crew. He doesn't have hair even then. Was this guy born bald?

A great cast in a great drama with good action. I know Patrick will smack me for this, but the one flaw is that this movie seems unoriginal because so many plot devices have been stolen from it over the years. I know Patrick, that shouldn't lesson the enjoyment of the movie, but everything gets dusty over time.

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