Hell Below (1933)

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Edward Ellsberg (novel)
Laird Doyle (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

9 June 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama | War

Plot:

On leave in Italy, Lt. Tommy Knowlton falls in love with Jean Standish, who's not only married, but is the daughter of his submarine's commander...

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Officer | Love | Italy | Carnival

Cast

Robert Montgomery	...	Lieut. Thomas Knowlton, USN
Walter Huston	...	Lieut. Comdr. T.J. Toler, USN
Madge Evans	...	Joan Standish
Jimmy Durante	...	Ptomaine
Eugene Pallette	...	'Mac' MacDougal
Robert Young	...	Lieut. (JG) Ed 'Brick' Walters
Edwin Styles	...	Flight Comdr. Herbert Standish
John Lee Mahin	...	Lieut. (JG) 'Speed' Nelson
David Newell	...	Lieut. (JG) Radford
Sterling Holloway	...	Seaman Jenks
Charles Irwin	...	Buck teeth marine sergeant

Also Known As:

Pigboats (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1373-R, 31 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The photographic crew devised a scheme to photograph targets through a periscope, with a series of lenses and prisms.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the depth charge runs by the German destroyer, in multiple scenes, the wake of the camera-crew ship is clearly visible in the lower right corner.

Soundtrack:

Show Me the Way To Go Home

Men on a Sub

Exciting, action-packed, and interesting film telling the tale of a group of men stationed at a naval base in Italy and their adventures aboard a Navy submarine during WWI. Tommy and Brick (played by Robert Montgomery and Robert Young) are two pals, and make for a couple of very handsome officers, I must say. A new Captain arrives on-board, already known by a few as "Dead Pan" Toler (Walter Huston) and he's a real stickler for following the rule book and a "code of honor". Soon Tommy and Brick are chasing after an attractive blonde at an officer's dance, Tommy insults the Captain - and, of course, the blonde is actually the Captain's daughter. But Tommy wins out anyway as he and the daughter sneak away from the dance to a street carnival outside, and soon bond during an air raid - unfortunately for him, she reveals she is married. Later Tommy gets himself into some real trouble when he disobeys orders in an effort save his buddy.

This film is quite entertaining with an absorbing plot line that held my interest and top-notch performances by all. A climactic death scene featuring Sterling Holloway is haunting indeed - the most memorable scene in this film, I thought. Eugene Palette and Jimmy Durante add some humor here playing a couple of goofballs - Durante's character is actually studying to be a dentist via mail-order and continually has onshore run-ins with a British man who makes fun of his nose. Okay - if you're looking for a movie showing a man boxing a kangaroo, this would be the one.