Film Review: "Run Silent Run Deep" (1958)Director Robert Wise (1914-2005), before producing his high-end Hollywood productions of 1960s, comes this minor Submarine action drama, starring acting stars Burt Lancaster (1913-1994) and Clark Gable (1901-1960) neatly put together as on-screen characters of a 1st officer and his captain on a U.S. American submarine in the Pacific of WW2. The picture tinted in black & white can not create a blast as to say the character-driven suspenseful moments as the preliminary released competitor project "The Enemy Below" (1957) by 20th Century Fox, where actor Robert Mitchum and Curd Jürgens owned the suspense level 90 Minute through the picture even sharing only one scene together. Here the acting collaborators do not get along, much to the disadvantage of a struggling, seemingly forced directions by Robert Wise. An improved version of a closed-to-the-same set up picture of two Hollywood stars fighting for survival and personal convictions on a submarine is available with the movie called "Crimson Tide" starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington directed by Tony Scott (1944-2012) from the year 1995. © 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

RUN SILENT RUN DEEP 1958 Burt Lancaster and Clark Gable headline this film about obsession set on a submarine in World War 2. Clark Gable plays a submarine Captain who lost his boat to a Japanese destroyer in the Bungo Strait area separating the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. Gable has spent the year since at a desk in Pearl Harbor. Gable manages to wangle the command of a submarine coming to Pearl.This causes hard feelings with the submarines second in command, Burt Lancaster. Lancaster had been in line to take over the boat. Lancaster asks for a transfer to another boat but is denied. He does not like it, but he will follow Gable's orders. Gable turns out to be a hard task master and has the crew drilling day in and day out. Gable wants the submarine to be able to dive and take a torpedo shot inside a set time.The crew is less than amused with the constant drills and think Gable is a bit of a flake. They are sure Gable is also a coward when he refuses to attack a Japanese submarine they spot one night. That soon changes when they come on a Japanese tanker and its destroyer escort. The drills show quick results with the submarine sinking the tanker and its escort.Gable now changes his operational orders and heads back to the Bungo Strait. He wants a bit of revenge against the destroyer that had sunk his earlier command. The destroyer has earned the nickname, "Bungo Pete" after sinking three more American submarines.Needless to say this soon leads to a battle between "Bungo Pete" and the American sub. Gable, Lancaster and company manage to eliminate said Japanese destroyer. But it turns out that the Japanese have been playing a rigged deck. They have had a submarine of their own trailing the convoys. This sub has been knocking off the American subs. There is now a game of cat and mouse between the two vessels before the American's get in a well-placed torpedo.Gable, who had been badly wounded in the fight, dies and is buried at sea as the Americans return to Pearl Harbor.While it might seem a bit dated to some viewers, it does pack an emotional punch. The inter-play between the two leads is quite good with Lancaster in particular shining. Also in the mix cast wise, is, Brad Dexter, Nick Cravat, Jack Warden and Don Rickles in his big screen debut.The director here is two time Oscar winner, Robert Wise. Wise keeps things moving along nicely with help from cinematographer, Russell Harlan. Harlan lensed such films as, A WALK IN THE SUN, RED RIVER, GUN CRAZY, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION, HATARI, RIO BRAVO and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Adding to the film's mood is the deep rumbling score by Franz Waxman. Waxman was nominated for an Oscar, ten times, winning an even pair.The writer of the novel, Edward L Beach was a highly decorated officer during WW2.

In 1942, submarine commander P.J. Richardson (Clark Gable) loses his boat in the Bungo Straits to Japanese destroyer Akikaze. Richardson survives and a year later, he's on desk duty in Pearl Harbor. Meanwhile, the Akikaze has gained a fearsome reputation after sinking three more American subs. Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster) is about to be the captain of a sub but Richardson is able to steal the position from him. Bledsoe is forced to remain as the ship's XO. Richardson is obsessed about drilling the crew in a dangerous bow shot maneuver. They are going back to the area but they are ordered not to enter the Bungo Straits.The start is a bit of a missed opportunity. I get the need to get to Burt Lancaster but the first sub going down could have been a great sequence. Also it needs to explain a little bit how the crew got out. Most submarines go under with the crew on board. The special effects are nicely done with a mix of mostly miniatures as well as a real submarine. The action is terrific and thrilling. The two leading men are the best of their eras. It's one of the best early submarine movies.

Robert Wise directed this compelling film starring Clark Gable as Commander Richardson, who has been desk-bound for a year after losing his previous command which was sunk by the Japanese in the Bongo Straits. He gets a second chance with a new submarine whose surviving Lt., Officer Jim Bledsoe(played by Burt Lancaster) is resentful that he was passed over for promotion, but dutifully obeys the order, though becomes concerned when Richardson is obsessed with tracking down the specific Japanese destroyer that sunk his previous command. Jack Warden plays Yeoman 1st. Class Mueller, and Don Rickles makes his film debut. Well-directed and acted film is both an exciting and insightful look at a submarine under pressure and the effect it has on its crew.