We Dive at Dawn (1943)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Anthony Asquith

Writers:

J.B. Williams (story) and
Val Valentine (story)

Release Date:

20 May 1943 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

All leave is canceled so that a British submarine can be sent after a new German warship. They chase it so far that they have no fuel to get home.

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Machine Gun | Tommy Gun | WWII

Cast

John Mills	...	Captain - Lt. Taylor, R.N.
Louis Bradfield	...	First Officer - Lt. Brace, R.N.R.
Ronald Millar	...	Third Officer - Lt. Johnson, RNVR
Jack Watling	...	Navigating Officer - Lt. Gordon, R.N.
Reginald Purdell	...	Coxwain - C / P.O. Dabbs
Caven Watson	...	Chief Engine Room Artificer - C / P.O. Duncan
Niall MacGinnis	...	Torpedo Gunner's Mate - C / P.O. Mike Corrigan
Eric Portman	...	On Hydrophones - L / S. Hobson
Leslie Weston	...	Leading Torpedo Operator - L / S Tug Wilson
Norman Williams	...	Periscope Operator - 'Canada'
Lionel Grose	...	Torpedo Operator - 'Spud'
David Peel	...	Helmsman - 'Oxford'
Philip Godfrey	...	Steward - 'Flunkey'
Robb Wilton	...	Cook - 'Pincher' (as Robert Wilton)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (British Acoustic)

Certification:

Finland:S | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Gaumont-British Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

Gainsborough Pictures

Trivia:

The filming of the submarine was shared between submarines P614 and P615, with the last digit painted over, leaving "P61" which has led to its being identified as HMS Varangian.

Goofs:

Factual errors: A battleship named "Brandenburg" did indeed serve in the German Navy: but the ship was scrapped nearly 20 years *before* the start of WWII.

Quotes:

On Hydrophones - L: [serving customers in a fish and chips shop] Fish is good for the brain...
[looks at a woman customer]
On Hydrophones - L: *You* look as though you could do with an *extra* bit!

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1997) (TV)

"Let Me Know When You Have Trim"

In most US made submarine action movies the process of torpedoing the enemy appears fairly straightforward and painless. Clark Gable, Cary Grant and Tyrone Power never seem to miss. In this movie one gets the sense that it is not so easy to sink an enemy ship at range. In this movie during the battle scene the Coxswain can't seem to keep the boat level in the water, the first officer forgets to read the bearing, someone else seems to be asleep at the switch at a vital moment. This little bit of realisim was appreciated by this viewer.

The best line in the movie is when the cook bites into a dinner sausage prepared for the crew grimmaces and comments "No wonder they stopped dog racing" or words to that effect.