Action in the North Atlantic (1943)

Director:

Lloyd Bacon
(more)

Writers:

John Howard Lawson (screenplay)
Guy Gilpatric (story)
(more)

Release Date:

12 June 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Warner Bros. thunderous story of the men of the merchant marine!

Plot:

An American tanker is sunk by a German U-boat and the survivors spend eleven days at sea on a raft. They're next assigned to the liberty ship "Sea Witch" bound for Murmansk through the sub-stalked North Atlantic.

Plot Keywords:

Convoy | Attack | North Atlantic | U Boat | Stock Footage

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Lt. Joe Rossi
Raymond Massey	...	Capt. Steve Jarvis
Alan Hale	...	Boats O'Hara
Julie Bishop	...	Pearl O'Neill
Ruth Gordon	...	Mrs. Sarah Jarvis
Sam Levene	...	Abel 'Chips' Abrams
Dane Clark	...	Johnnie Pulaski
Peter Whitney	...	Whitey Lara
Dick Hogan	...	Cadet Robert Parker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Virginia Christine	...	Pebbles (scenes deleted)
Ray Montgomery	...	Aherne (scenes deleted)
Louis Adlon	...	German Ensign (uncredited)
Iris Adrian	...	Jenny O'Hara (uncredited)
Frank Alten	...	German (uncredited)
Kirk Alyn	...	Brazilian Gun Captain (uncredited)
C.E. Anderson	...	Bearded Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Tod Andrews	...	Ahearn (uncredited)
Louis V. Arco	...	Submarine Commander (uncredited)
Warren Ashe	...	U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Hooper Atchley	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Leah Baird	...	Mother (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard	...	Ed (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone	...	U.S. Commander (uncredited)
Sven Hugo Borg	...	Norwegian Seaman (uncredited)
Chick Chandler	...	Goldberg (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Alex Chivra	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Signal Man (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	McGonigle (uncredited)
Hal Craig	...	Ship Officer (uncredited)
Albert D'Arno	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
George Davis	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
Jean Del Val	...	Capt. La Pricor (uncredited)
Janna DeLoos	...	(uncredited)
Eddie Dew	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Donald Douglas	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Warren Douglas	...	Navy Pilot (uncredited)
Arthur Dulac	...	French Seaman (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Quartermaster (uncredited)
Carl Ekberg	...	Dutch Seaman (uncredited)
John Epper	...	German Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Merchant Marine School Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	German (uncredited)
Ross Ford	...	Ensign Speaker (uncredited)
William Forrest	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Art Foster	...	Pete Larson (uncredited)
Eddie Foster	...	American Seaman (uncredited)
Arno Frey	...	German Pilot (uncredited)
Hans Fuerberg	...	German Officer (uncredited)
Frederick Giermann	...	German Submarine Captain (uncredited)
Art Gilmore	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt (voice) (uncredited)
Christine Gordon	...	(uncredited)
Kit Guard	...	Unemployed Seaman (uncredited)
Henry Guttman	...	Nazi Submarine Officer (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Loudmouth Saloon Patron (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Sparks (uncredited)
Eddie Hall	...	Casino Club Patron at Loudmouth's Table (uncredited)
Ernst Hausman	...	German (uncredited)
Lew Hicks	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
William Hopper	...	Canadian Soldier (uncredited)
Ted Jacques	...	Ship Officer (uncredited)
Lew Kelly	...	Tony Gonzales (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Joe (uncredited)
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Caviar Jinks (uncredited)
Victor Kilian Jr.	...	U.S. Navy Petty Officer (uncredited)
George Kirby	...	Pilot Johnson (uncredited)
Kurt Kreuger	...	German U-Boat Sailor on Microphone (uncredited)
Glenn Langan	...	Gun Crewman (uncredited)
Rolf Lindau	...	Submarine Radio Operator (uncredited)
Manuel López	...	Mexican Seaman (uncredited)
Anthony Marsh	...	English Gun Captain (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Major / Seaman (uncredited)
Clyde McAtee	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Charles McMurphy	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Edwin Mills	...	Naval Radio Operator (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	(uncredited)
Dennis Moore	...	Signalman (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Rudolf Myzet	...	Russian Seaman (uncredited)
George N. Neise	...	German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Kurt Neumann	...	German (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Bob O'Connor	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Gene O'Donnell	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
George O'Hanlon	...	Navy Pilot (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Cecil (uncredited)
Paul Panzer	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
Russ Powell	...	Slops Denton (uncredited)
Hugh Prosser	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Capt. Carpolis (uncredited)
Pedro Regas	...	Greek Seaman (uncredited)
Otto Reichow	...	German Petty Officer (uncredited)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Vera Richkova	...	(uncredited)
Kane Richmond	...	Ensign Wright (uncredited)
Walter Rode	...	Russian Air Force Captain (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	(uncredited)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink	...	German (uncredited)
Hans Schumm	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Harry Seymour	...	Pianist (uncredited)
George Sherwood	...	German (uncredited)
Walter Soderling	...	Pop (uncredited)
George Sorel	...	German Bombardier (uncredited)
Glenn Strange	...	Jake (uncredited)
Ludwig Stössel	...	Capt. Ziemer (uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Unemployed Seaman (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan	...	Hennessy (uncredited)
Walter Thiele	...	German (uncredited)
Sigfrid Tor	...	Helmsman (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Rear Adm. Hartridge (uncredited)
Peter van Eyck	...	German Ensign (uncredited)
Roland Varno	...	Gunnery Captain (uncredited)
Wilhelm von Brincken	...	German Submarine Captain (uncredited)
Hans von Morhart	...	German (uncredited)
Minor Watson	...	Rear Adm. Williams (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Cherub Joe (uncredited)
John Whitney	...	U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Convoy Speaker (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Lieutenant-Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Al Winters	...	German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Jack Wise	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Richard Woodruff	...	Squadron Leader (uncredited)
Jack Young	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Lloyd Bacon
Byron Haskin		(uncredited)
Raoul Walsh		(uncredited)

Writing credits
John Howard Lawson		(screenplay)
Guy Gilpatric		(story)
A.I. Bezzerides		(additional dialogue) &
W.R. Burnett		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(director of photography) (as Ted McCord)
Tony Gaudio		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
George Amy
Thomas Pratt		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Ted Smith

Set Decoration by
Clarence Steensen		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Milo Anderson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ridgeway Callow	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Elmer Decker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.A. Riggs	....	sound

Special Effects by
Jack Cosgrove	....	special effects director
Edwin B. DuPar	....	special effects
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Duke Green	....	stunt double: Humphrey Bogart (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
William Lava	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Jerome Moross	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
James Leicester	....	montages
Don Siegel	....	montages
Harold Winston	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents) (as Warner Bos. Pictures, Inc. A Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1944) (France) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (video)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #8706) | Australia:G (TV rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Director Lloyd Bacon's contract with Warner Bros. expired during production. Jack L. Warner told him, "Finish the picture and we'll talk about it," but Bacon wasn't willing to continue without a contract. Warner fired him and brought in Byron Haskin to finish the film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Control wires for the German sub model are visible in the underwater shots.

Quotes:

Capt. Steve Jarvis:[to a departing German U-boat after it has rammed his survivor lifeboat] Go on, laugh, you apes! You've had your blood and fire to make you laugh, but I swear to God our time is comin'! We'll pay ya back! We'll hunt ya down and slice ya like a piece of cheese!
Lt. Joe Rossi:Oh, they can't hear you.
Capt. Steve Jarvis:No, but God can.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "McHale's Navy: Movies Are Your Best Diversion (#1.5)" (1962)

Soundtrack:

Home on the Range

One of the very best wartime propaganda films

The term "propaganda" has taken on a very negative connotation, though propaganda can also be a very positive thing--encouraging the masses through logical and/or emotional appeals to get on the bandwagon on a certain topic. In this case, the effort was noble--encouraging people to understand why we were fighting the Axis powers as well as drumming up their support. Now these types of films were made in the hundreds in the USA during the war and many of them are pretty forgettable. However, this might just be one of the very best due to its magnificent writing and acting. Plus, in many ways it's similar to the British wartime film IN WHICH WE SERVE (1942)--but I think that ACTION IN THE NORTH Atlantic is actually a bit better film. Much of this is because the acting is at least equal to the British film (Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey versus Noel Coward and John Mills in the 1942 film) and the story is a bit more exciting in ACTION IN THE NORTH Atlantic. Plus, I admired how the often forgotten men of the merchant marine were shown to be heroes--after all, a lot of them died transporting supplies to Britain during the war.

Both films excelled because unlike some jingoistic wartime films, the Allies were NOT shown as super-humans who could do ridiculous things (like in the movie AIRFORCE where a B-17 shoots down fighter plane after fighter plane--something that just could never have happened). In fact, both films feature ships being sunk right out from under the stars in the first half hour of the film! But here's where the films really succeeded, as they showed the indomitable human spirit that despite losses, continues to bravely and without too much complaint do their job. Balancing this need with the families back at home make these both stellar films. In fact, now that I think about it, I STRONGLY recommend you see both. Yes, they are similar, but also different enough to provide a lot of entertainment and wonderful insight into our history.