Submarine Command (1951)

Submarine commander Ken White is forced to suddenly submerge, leaving his captain and another crew member to die outside the sub during WW II. Subsequent years of meaningless navy ground ... See full summary »

Director:

John Farrow

Writer:

Jonathan Latimer (story)

Stars:

William Holden, Nancy Olson, William Bendix

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Holden	...	Lt. Cmdr. Ken White
Nancy Olson	...	Carol
William Bendix	...	CPO Boyer
Don Taylor	...	Lt. Cmdr. Peter Morris
Arthur Franz	...	Lt. Arnie Carlson
Darryl Hickman	...	Ens. Jack Wheelwright
Peggy Webber	...	Mrs. Alice Rice
Moroni Olsen	...	Rear Adm. Joshua Rice
Jack Gregson	...	Cmdr. Joshua Rice
Jack Kelly	...	Lt. Paul Barton
Don Dunning	...	Quartermaster Perkins
Jerry Paris	...	Sgt. Gentry
Charles Meredith	...	Adm. Tobias
Philip Van Zandt	...	Gavin
Gordon Polk	...	Ralph

Storyline

Submarine commander Ken White is forced to suddenly submerge, leaving his captain and another crew member to die outside the sub during WW II. Subsequent years of meaningless navy ground assignments and the animosity of a former sailor, leave White (now a captain) feeling guilty and empty. His life spirals downward and his wife is about to leave him. Suddenly, he is forced into a dangerous rescue situation at the start of the Koren War.... reassigned to the same submarine where all of his problems began.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine | world war two | u boat

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

November 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Submarine Story

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

No ship of the United States Navy has ever borne the name USS Tiger Shark or Tigershark.

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Goofs

The captain says the Tigershark has to surface because that is the only way he can send the radio message. All WWII fleet boats had two-way radio antenna affixed to number two periscope.

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Connections

Referenced in The Omen Legacy (2001)

User Reviews

Feel Good Old Movie

William Holden is Cmdr. White a quite mature man who suffers through the boredom of the post WW II Navy. He is chained to a desk on a base near his old submarine, which has been decommissioned and mothballed. He visits it periodically to experience his wartime ghosts. He is so bored that he seriously considers chucking the Navy and taking a more lucrative civilian job. Nancy Olson plays his understanding Navy wife. William Bendex is also on hand with old time Chief Petty Officer wisdom and to remind Holden of his ghosts.

Don Taylor portrays the fun and games Navy pilot who is anything but mature. He is teaching ROTC at a nearby college. They met at the end of the war when White's submarine rescued him. They maintain a friendship even though White is at times disturbed by his happy-go-lucky well adjustment.

When The Korean War starts White is rescued from his desk and placed in command of ----- (You guessed it!) his old submarine. Taylor and Holden are united again off the Korean Coast where boat and men undertake a movie ending dangerous mission.

This was a feel good war movie that wasn't loaded with dated propaganda. Holden narrates as he did in Sunset Blvd. where he first played opposite Olson.

If you like military movies, this is a good one.