Me, I'm fond of movies that open a window in my mind and introduce me to a place and a topic I was unfamiliar with. Here, "The Silent Enemy" certainly delivered, by introducing me to an esoteric (and extremely dangerous) form of warfare.
"The Silent Enemy" is based on the Gibraltar war feats of Commander Lionel Crabb, who earned eternal fame defending British ships against stealth attacks by frogmen and human torpedoes. It's a vivid, gritty movie that evokes both the peril and the excitement of these times. Imagine trying to perform an exquisitely dangerous job while relying on exquisitely dangerous equipment... Touches of wit and humor keep the story from becoming relentlessly grim. Laurence Harvey gives a fine, convincing lead performance, although contemporary photographs seem to indicate that he bears little physical ressemblance to the actual Commander Crabb. Quite a lot of the scenes were filmed under water, with a great deal of success ; for instance, there's a marvelously choreographed battle between two enemy crews of frogmen fighting over the same submerged suitcase filled with secret documents.
It is impossible to watch the movie without wondering about the kind of psychological trauma involved. One does not spend several years suffering, witnessing or performing extremely violent acts - attaching limpet mines to ships, throwing bombs upon swimming divers, cutting the throats of sentries and so on - without getting scarred for life...
"The Silent Enemy" is based on the Gibraltar war feats of Commander Lionel Crabb, who earned eternal fame defending British ships against stealth attacks by frogmen and human torpedoes. It's a vivid, gritty movie that evokes both the peril and the excitement of these times. Imagine trying to perform an exquisitely dangerous job while relying on exquisitely dangerous equipment... Touches of wit and humor keep the story from becoming relentlessly grim. Laurence Harvey gives a fine, convincing lead performance, although contemporary photographs seem to indicate that he bears little physical ressemblance to the actual Commander Crabb. Quite a lot of the scenes were filmed under water, with a great deal of success ; for instance, there's a marvelously choreographed battle between two enemy crews of frogmen fighting over the same submerged suitcase filled with secret documents.
It is impossible to watch the movie without wondering about the kind of psychological trauma involved. One does not spend several years suffering, witnessing or performing extremely violent acts - attaching limpet mines to ships, throwing bombs upon swimming divers, cutting the throats of sentries and so on - without getting scarred for life...