Duell im Atlantik

Have to agree with "bob the moo" on this one. I've seen it probably two dozen times, and will see it many more, I'm sure. One of my favorite "war" movies (w/Robert Mitchum and Curt Jurgens as destroyer and submarine captains, respectively). My other faves are "Platoon," "Full Metal Jacket," "Decision Before Dawn," (w/Oskar Werner and Richard Basehart--most excellent!), and of course, Kubrick's "Paths of Glory," w/Kirk Douglas, Adoph Menjou and George MacReady.

More than a blood-and-guts war movie (though it has plenty of terrific action scenes), it's more of a man-vs-man "cat and mouse" story. Absolutely excellent direction (by Dick Powell) and some terrific cinematography. Terrific scene between Jurgens and Theodore Bikel (who plays his Exec. Officer), that is nothing but facial gestures and eyebrows.

A very "moral" tale, it shows that even sworn enemies serving their countries in wartime can show respect and compassion toward each other, especially since they're all men-of-the-sea: sailors. Conversations between Mitchum and his ship's doctor and between Jurgens and his exec officer mirror each other. Note the scene of the American sailors pulling the German sailors aboard their lifeboats near the end; Mitchum helping rescue the U-boat captain and his exec after ramming them.

Great tale, well-scripted, acted, directed and shot. An model of how to make a terrific story into a movie.

Don't get me wrong,this one of the best Navy/Destroyer movies made but there are some problems I would like to point out. 1. "we will trail him until dawn and attack". the idea that a DE commander with a radar advantage would waste it by waiting until day light when it would be almost impossible to surprise a surfaced sub.He would go right after the sub and if could get close enough switch on his searchlight or fire a star shell,then open fire with every thing that could brought to bare. 2.In the opening credits that shows the full ship clearly shows the ship is equipped with Headgehogs as were all the Buckly's, there is no mention of these in the movie. 3.The Radar/Sonar operator,s giving course changes of the sub. These folks can only give a range and bearing to the target. It would be up to guy on the DRT (Dead Reconing Tracer), that was the guy making doodles on a board. Anyway I still think it was a good movie.

Since WWI, most people thought of the submarine as the hunter. Hitler called them his "wolves." But towards the middle of WWII, with the use of sonars, air reconnaissance and fast destroyers, the U-boat's mastery of sea warfare came to an end. For comments and statistics on the survival chances of German U-boat crews, watch Das Boot and The Eagle Has Landed.

I always thought Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster), was the older movie because it was in black and white while this was in color. Aside from the color, Enemy was also better technically crafted overall. But for me what puts Enemy well over Run Silent is the very effective characterization of the enemy U-boat Commander (portrayed by Curd Jurgens). In Run Silent, the captain and the crew of the Japanese destroyer hunting the American sub were practically faceless unknowns.

I notice that the U-boat commander has a "von" in his name indicating a noble lineage. Same as George Ritter von Trapp (of the famous singing family)a baron who commanded a U-boat in WWI. I understand the Kriegsmarine attracted a better class of educated and highly cultured people which is why the infamous Heydrich was cashiered from the German navy under the Weimar Republic. Incidentally, the US Navy was led to victory in the Pacific by another descendant of the Prussian junkers class, the petty nobility whose members usually made a career of the military. That would be Chester von Nimitz although his immediate ancestors gave up the "von" when they settled in the New World.

Dick Powell, singer and light comedy actor did a fantastic job writing the screenplay and directing this movie.

Inexorable duel of great stars into a submarine and a destroyer . During World War II, an American destroyer escort 'USS Haynes' (it was played by the real 'USS Whitehurst') captained by a tough skipper (Robert Mitchum) meets a German U-Boat commanded by an intelligent captain (Curt Jurgens) . Both captains are good ones, and the engagement lasts for a considerable time . Both of them pursuit one another and square off in the South Atlantic . This movie's closing epilogue states: "Twentieth Century-Fox wishes to thank the Department of Defense and the United States Navy for their assistance in the production of this motion picture."

Thrilling as well as exciting battle of wits between two skippers who gradually come to respect each other . Both of whom are a compellingly balanced match as two clever as well astute captains . This nail-biter is a tightly-knit drama centered on the relentless sea maneuvers of a destroyer going after a submarine and vice versa . The film is famous as one of the best WWII submarine movies, though some scenes at sea, however, suffer from the utilization of obvious models in a just as obvious studio tank . Interesting screenplay , being based on the novel by D.A. Rayner and the book and it's dust-jacket can be seen at the beginning of one of this movie's trailers . German player Curt Jurgens made his major mark on the international scene and it was American movie debut for German actor . The cast spent about a month filming on board this vessel. Many of the crew of the 'USS Whitehurst' appeared in this movie. Secondary cast is frankly good such as Theodor Bikel , Frank Albertson , Russell Collins , and this picture marks the feature film movie debuts for David Hedison -as Al Hedison- and Doug McClure . 20th Century-Fox production notes for this movie from the AMPAS Library declare that the 'USS Whitehurst' was a battle-hardened veteran from the Second World War which had during World War II been stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Harold Rosson's colorful and vivid cinematography , including spectacular maritime scenes , though set in the South Atlantic Ocean of World War II, this movie's ocean scenes were filmed in the Pacific Ocean. . The motion picture was stunningly directed by former movie star Dick Powell who efficiently captures the claustrophobic up and undersea tension ,; this was one of the final theatrically released movies of director Dick Powell who soon after worked exclusively in television.

This suspenseful sea epic represents one of a select group of a few World War II submarine movies which have won the one single Academy Award in a technical category, that's just only the one Oscar in either special effects or sound editing. These movies include ¨Crash Dive¨ ; ¨Torpedo Run¨ and ¨U-571¨. The non-WW II sub-movie, ¨The Hunt for Red October¨ also won just the one Oscar as did the WW 2 part sub-movie 49th Parallel , but for Best Original Story . Furthermore , other important films about submarine are ¨Run Silent Run Deep¨, ¨Crimson tide¨ by Tony Scott with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman; ¨K19¨ with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson and the best ¨Das Boot¨ (1982) by Wolfgang Petersen with Jurgen Prochnow .

What's really impressive about this movie is the photography. When you see Robert Mitchum actually standing on the deck of a destroyer with depth charges going off behind it, you know somebody went to a lot of trouble to get all this on film. That destroyer is no movie set. You'll find very few backdrops and special effects here except for underwater shots of the enemy U-boat, and even those are above average. It all seems ahead of its time somehow, the brilliant color footage, the musical score, and the attention to detail.

The Enemy Below is a fascinating study of WW2 anti-submarine warfare. Although the ending is a little corny, the anti-war message is timeless and quite appropriate. Especially now (Oct. 2004) as America is being dragged into another real conflict. It's certainly worth a look.