The Ash Can Fleet

The Ash Can Float (1939)

*** (out of 4)

Nine-minute documentary short from MGM tells the story of Connecticut farm boy David Bushnell who would attend Yale and eventually come up with the submarine. We see how he came up with the plans to build the first one and in an re-enactment we see it put to use for the first time. The last couple minutes of this short show some important moments in history where the submarine was used to American's benefit. THE ASH CAN FLOAT starts off with narrator Frank Whitbeck talking about the final World War and I guess it's somewhat weird to watch now considering how close we were to yet another one. With that said, film buffs should enjoy this film even if it might not be 100% accurate. I thought all of the re-enactments were rather entertaining and especially the one dealing with the first time the sub was used in battle. I thought there was some nice details given and there's no question that director Fred Zinnemann at least keeps things moving at a very good pace.

It's 1918. German Chief of Staff, Field Marshall Von Hindenberg is interviewed by some newsmen. He credits David Bushnell with the defeat of the German submarine fleet. A hundred years earlier, Bushnell invents the depth charge. To prove his case, he invents the submarine as well and presents them to Washington during the Revolutionary War. The Ash Can Fleet is a group of small ship dropping depth charges against the dangerous German submarines. It's a patriotic short in times of world conflict. It's a bit military advocacy. I like some of the miniatures and the revolutionary submarine model. It's nothing much.

Frank Whitbeck narrates this MGM short subject about David Bushnell, the Connecticut farmboy-turned-inventor who came up with the idea of the depth charge, about the same time that Robert Fulton was trying to build a submarine.

The movie is told in the context of the aftermath of the German defeat in the First World War, with Robert Warwick in heavy make up telling reporters that Bushnell was the single man most responsible for the Entente's victory, and that the 'Ash Can Fleet' of what would become patrol boats in the Second World War, responsible for the failure of the German U-Boat campaign.

The Second World War was declared nine days before this was released. Although production had begun and likely closed before the War had started in Europe, most people realized it had become inevitable. Although there was a strong Isolationist movement in the United States, Hollywood had gradually begun moving towards supporting Great Britain and France for several years.