Froschmann Crabb

They don't make them like this anymore. Rousing drama action based on the real life exploits of British Navy Lieutenant Lionel Crabbe and his contributions to underwater demolition work during World War II and later on in salvaging operations.

World War II history buffs will appreciate the military technology depicted in this film and the impact it caused to Allied as well as Axis shipping.

Exciting underwater action combined with a decent cast and good dialogue contribute to the suspense.

I first saw this film many years ago and was impressed even then with the realism and gritty nature it had given its age and the comparable output of the era.

British film fans will relish in an early role of Sid James proving he can act and plays the grizzled character very well indeed. Laurence Harvey excels as the leading character and the rest of the cast works extremely well indeed. There is very little jingoism in the film and its all the better for it and well worth a watch whenever its shown on TV.

Damn good to watch and based on real events of the time and exploits of the brave men of all sides who fought in the war.

A superb wartime adventure, the Silent Enemy is the true story of Lieutenant Crabbe, a Royal Navy bomb and mine disposal officer sent to Gibraltar on a urgent mission to undo damage being inflicted on the fleet by sly Italian frogmen led by a brilliant underwater engineer. Though he has never dived before Crabbe takes to the underwater world like a fish, and with the help of a plucky NCO and dedicated but tiny band of men turns back the hidden menace. Crabbe and his courageous crew ultimately stop the Italian 10th Flotilla divers from turning the tide of the war.

Characters and acting are sharp. Cinematography and staging on land and especially underwater are very good. Writing is great too. The military historical significance is that these underwater demolition techniques and technologies are the precursors of modern Navy SEALs, Special Boat Squads, etc. The movie significance is that the characters and plot elements foreshadow every James Bond and action movie that's ever had frogmen, underwater fight scenes, secret ships, mini-subs, or stealty sub-surface saboteurs. Being drawn from real life, I found The Silent Enemy even more compelling.

A romanticised tribute to Commander Lionel Crabb (who's mysterious death was currently making headlines, a fact not mentioned in the film), strangely personified by Laurence Harvey in bleached hair and a beard.

Set in Gibraltar, it's of historical interest as containing probably the only depiction in a feature film of the plane crash that killed General Sikorski, while the ensuing underwater battle between rival frogmen almost certainly inspired the climax of 'Thunderball', which also employed underwater specialist Egil Woxholt to do the photography.

In the glamour stakes it fully matches the James Bond movie thanks to the presence of Dawn Addams uniformed as a W. R. N. And the awesome Gianna Maria Canale.

Fond memories of this film as my Dad was one of the commandos who had to swim over to Spain to blow up the dastardly Axis'. Though for a Brit', it is a bit strange saying "which one are you Dad? Are you Sid James?" His memory of the commander was that he was a tad eccentric who slept in a rubber blanket. Then my Dad has lots of old recollections of World War 2, Russian Convoys, North Africa, serving on a Free French vessel (it had been re-fitted in America so had an ice-cream maker on board and as well as the British Navy ration of Rum got the French ration of Wine as well) and behind enemy lines in South East Asia. This film is the only one I know of of his own exploits though.