Sopra di noi il mare

A lot of things about this film make you think director Ralph Thomas slept his way through the job. The scene when Donald Sinden tries to push off a mine with his feet is amazingly badly done. The film also fails to give you a real sense of what the mission achieved! (It did not, as the film implies, break the back of the ship -- but did succeed in putting Tirpitz out of action for half a year; the RAF finally destroyed her a year after the midget attack.) But there are plenty of decent scenes, and some real tension. The script isn't bad, and having the Germans speak in (unsubtitled) German adds authenticity. John Mills is, as always, excellent. Above all, the film tells a true story, of primitive, cramped baby submarines, poorly insulated diving suits and icy water. And real heroism.

To some viewers and reviewers, the characters and dialogue may seem false and smack of British stiff upper lip propaganda. Can't see how the film was aimed at being propaganda seeing it was made in 1955! Secondly, people were different in the times depicted in the film. Overly emotional self-indulgence had not yet become adopted as being a requirement of drama or depictions of warfare. This film reminds me of "A Night to Remember" and comes under the same criticisms from those who cannot understand that people were once different and did not emote or panic at every opportunity. Low key and realistic is a relief from films that are a series of explosions and rants.

As I recently said about SINK THE BISMARK, UK film industry in the fifties and early sixties brought us great films, war films, I mean. DAM BUSTERS, SINK THE BISMARK, this very one, CARVE HER NAME WITH PRIDE, BATTLE OF RIO DE LA PLATA, WE DIVE AT DAWN.... Not necessarily dumb propaganda films, such a most of Russian movies or even patriotic US features. Those British films were pretty well made, with solid characterization, suspense, and excellent camera work. German enemy was also not always showed as dumb Nazis whom we could nearly laugh at. These English features were for me the best war movies before THE LONGEST DAY like huge production emerged in the sixties. The rest of "Allied"( but not German !!!) cinema war films - except some rare items such as Bob Aldrich's ATTACK - the other war films are garbage for me. Good American and British against Evil Nazis. Evil, maybe, but certainly not jerks.....This submarine war film is not at the level of DAS BOOT, from director Wolfgang Petersen, of course - no film will ever arrive at its ankle - but I highly recommend it to any war film buff.

This is yet another example of the fantastic films that Britain USED TO MAKE. Great acting, powerful direction and real emotion.

I saw in at the cinema a few weeks back and it really still packs a punch. I must get this one and others like the Cruel Sea on DVD.

If only we could make films like this again.

Why is it that we could make such great films 30 or 40 years back and now we have so many problems? Actually I think I know that answer to that one already.

I think that it would be interesting to remake this film but it would have to be made by a top flight director I think

John Mills sets off to convince a sceptical Admiral (James Robertson Justice) of the merits of "midget" submarines in active warfare. His intention is to use these tiny craft to lay high explosives underneath the hull of the mighty Nazi battleship "Tirpitz" that is safely anchored in a steep-sided Norwegian fjord. John Gregson and Donald Sinden join him on the mission deep into the heart of enemy territory fighting both the elements and the novel technology. You get a sense of he claustrophobic conditions - and of the close teamwork that engenders, as well as the fragility of their craft and; tempered by the odd light-hearted moment, this is quite a gripping little wartime tale.