I was expecting a fairly mediocre and routine "sub flick" and was pleasantly surprised to find an above average and pretty engrossing movie. The story has some grit and conflict, especially in the hostility of the crew for its "by the book" captain, played with convincing war-weariness by the always-reliable Edmond O'Brien, whose efforts are matched by a very young James Garner. Production values are high, and it's worth catching it in letterbox format. Some of the mistakes in commando procedures have been noted, to which I would add the lack of facial camouflage, as Garner's strikingly white face floats conspicuously above the water in his nighttime swim, an easy target for lookouts. None the less, a pretty good war flick.
33 Reviews
Tense and intriguing WWII submarine drama about a dangerous mission carried out by a demolition expert , James Garner
ma-cortes20 July 2015
Well starred by Edmond O'Brien and James Garner , Warner Brothers' "Maverick" Man and with agreeable cast ; there's plenty of emotion and thrills in the final action scenes keep you eyes peeled . This is a great production ready right now in his big-screen , meticulously mounted and efficiently directed by Gordon Douglas . In 1942, Navy Lieutenant Kenneth Braden from the underwater demolition team is sent to a Japanese island to photograph secret radio codes . As a rebellious demolition expert ,James Garner, assigned to serve on Edmond O'Brien's by-the-book sub . His assignment : to sneak onto Japanese-held island and steal a top-secret code book .
This underwater actioner contains suspense , thrills , intrigue , a love story and many other things . Although being a routine submarine movie also packs some thrilling moments and results to be pretty good . This nail-biter is a tightly-knit drama centered on the relentless sea maneuvers of a submarine sailing undercover toward a Japanese island . Thrilling as well as exciting battle of wits between two officers : James Garner-Edmond O'Brien , who gradually come to respect each other . Trouble is Commander Paul Stevenson/Edmond O'Brien , may not wait for Lt. J.G. Kenneth M. Braden/James Garner to complete his assignment before taking the submarine back underwater . Both of whom are a compellingly balanced match as two clever as well astute commanders . Interesting screenplay , being based on the novel by Robb White and script written by Richard Landau . The film is famous as one of the best WWII submarine movies though some scenes at sea , however, suffer from the utilization of obvious models in a just as obvious studio tank . Adequate special effects , though all underwater miniature submarine shots were reused from the film Destination : Tokyo (1943) . The main cast , support actors and technicians spent about a month filming on board this ship . Inexorable duel of great stars into a submarine , as nice acting by James Garner as a demolition expert unwillingly assigned to a sub and Edmond O'Brien as stiff-upper-lip commander . Secondary cast is frankly good such as a likable veteran Alan Hale Jr. as Lt. Pat Malone , beautiful Andra Martin , a very young Edd Byrnes as Pharmacist Mate Ash , Frank Gifford , Bernie Hamilton , and this picture marks the feature film movie debuts for Wareen Oates as a sailor who is constantly eating and always to be found in the mess hall heating . Colorful and vivid cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie in excitement Technicolor smash , including spectacular maritime scenes . Thrilling as well as suspenseful musical score . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Gordon Douglas who captures the claustrophobic up and undersea tension . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average , well worth watching .
This nail-biting sea epic represents one of a select group of a few World War II submarine movies which have nice special effects and breathtaking sound editing . These movies include ¨Crash Dive¨ ; ¨Torpedo Run¨ and ¨The Enemy Below ¨. Furthermore , other important films about submarines are the followings : ¨Run Silent Run Deep¨ by Robert Wise , ¨Crimson tide¨ by Tony Scott with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman; ¨K19¨ with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson and the best ¨Das Boot¨ (1982) by Wolfgang Petersen with Jurgen Prochnow .
This underwater actioner contains suspense , thrills , intrigue , a love story and many other things . Although being a routine submarine movie also packs some thrilling moments and results to be pretty good . This nail-biter is a tightly-knit drama centered on the relentless sea maneuvers of a submarine sailing undercover toward a Japanese island . Thrilling as well as exciting battle of wits between two officers : James Garner-Edmond O'Brien , who gradually come to respect each other . Trouble is Commander Paul Stevenson/Edmond O'Brien , may not wait for Lt. J.G. Kenneth M. Braden/James Garner to complete his assignment before taking the submarine back underwater . Both of whom are a compellingly balanced match as two clever as well astute commanders . Interesting screenplay , being based on the novel by Robb White and script written by Richard Landau . The film is famous as one of the best WWII submarine movies though some scenes at sea , however, suffer from the utilization of obvious models in a just as obvious studio tank . Adequate special effects , though all underwater miniature submarine shots were reused from the film Destination : Tokyo (1943) . The main cast , support actors and technicians spent about a month filming on board this ship . Inexorable duel of great stars into a submarine , as nice acting by James Garner as a demolition expert unwillingly assigned to a sub and Edmond O'Brien as stiff-upper-lip commander . Secondary cast is frankly good such as a likable veteran Alan Hale Jr. as Lt. Pat Malone , beautiful Andra Martin , a very young Edd Byrnes as Pharmacist Mate Ash , Frank Gifford , Bernie Hamilton , and this picture marks the feature film movie debuts for Wareen Oates as a sailor who is constantly eating and always to be found in the mess hall heating . Colorful and vivid cinematography by Carl E. Guthrie in excitement Technicolor smash , including spectacular maritime scenes . Thrilling as well as suspenseful musical score . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Gordon Douglas who captures the claustrophobic up and undersea tension . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average , well worth watching .
This nail-biting sea epic represents one of a select group of a few World War II submarine movies which have nice special effects and breathtaking sound editing . These movies include ¨Crash Dive¨ ; ¨Torpedo Run¨ and ¨The Enemy Below ¨. Furthermore , other important films about submarines are the followings : ¨Run Silent Run Deep¨ by Robert Wise , ¨Crimson tide¨ by Tony Scott with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman; ¨K19¨ with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson and the best ¨Das Boot¨ (1982) by Wolfgang Petersen with Jurgen Prochnow .
A Good War Thriller with an Unbelievable Plot that Entertains
claudio_carvalho31 May 2010
In 1942, in California, the diver Lieutenant Kenneth M. Braden (James Garner) from the navy demolition team falls in love with Sally Johnson (Andra Martin) and proposes her. The reluctant woman asks for more time to decide, but Braden is summoned to travel to a base in the Pacific. Sooner he discovers that Sally is actually a military from navy assigned to check his qualifications for a classified mission. He must travel on board of the submarine Barracuda commanded by Commander Paul Stevenson (Edmond O'Brien) to a Japanese island and photograph their secret radio codes in a very dangerous mission.
"Up Periscope" is a good war thriller with an unbelievable plot that entertains. I would never dare to compare this film with the stunning masterpiece "Das Boot", but there are good action scenes. I decided to see this movie with very few expectations but in the end I had a pleasant surprise. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
"Up Periscope" is a good war thriller with an unbelievable plot that entertains. I would never dare to compare this film with the stunning masterpiece "Das Boot", but there are good action scenes. I decided to see this movie with very few expectations but in the end I had a pleasant surprise. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): Not Available
Superb World War Two submarine drama in the Pacific theater with good performances by the lead actors.
grafspee23 September 2004
Warning: Spoilers
This is a great film with a well done script about an American Naval Lieutenant Ken Braden played by James Garner assigned to a submarine commanded by Edmond O'Brien (a very underrated actor of his time) as Captain Stevenson. Braden's mission is to go ashore as a frogman on a Japanese held island to retrieve a wireless code unable to be cracked by U.S. intelligence. Stevenson is haunted by the loss of a rating on a previous sortie and wants to exact careful handling of his current mission at the expense of making Braden's operational plan a difficult one. With a submerged time deadline imposed on Braden to find and photograph the information he skilfully swims to the island and after activating an incendiary device to alight fuel drums at the Japanese base in order to create a diversion, successfully enters the radio room behind the back of the on duty officer and snaps the pages of the code. Returning to the sub he is behind the time deadline and oxygen on the sub is rapidly depleting. A crew member constantly taps a wrench on the sub's hull to guide Braden back and Stevenson gives in to just sufficient extra time to allow him to return. On arrival back at Pearl Harbor Braden sees Intelligence Officer Sally Johnson, played by a stunning Andra Martin, at the dock waiting to greet him. She had been commissioned at the beginning of the movie to evaluate his suitability for the assignment but a love affair blossomed to now give this movie a supposedly happy ever after ending. Mention must also be made of the role of Alan Hale Jr. (ex Gilligan's Island) as Ensign Malone who gives the movie a well deserved comedy touch. Absorbing viewing.
Standard submarine warfare thriller
helpless_dancer18 December 2001
Navy frogman goes on super secret mission to steal ultra secret Jap code books. Pretty phony actually - seems the Nips would have shouted "oy li chu dat lee ho phuk di hong fong fuuuuuuuuu!", or "those explosions looked like a ruse, let's check on the code books!". When Garner exited the water he made enough noise to wake the whole island, no real commando would have done that. Still not a bad film, fairly exciting: it had the usual Navy ships during combat footage plus a few "toys in the tub" scenes. I appreciated the submarine; it was cramped, hot, and miserable looking, exactly like the genuine article. I abhor those movie subs that sport hallways and rooms more fitting to the Trump mansion than a Naval vessel.
Sturdy Little Adventure
screenman4 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Youthful, handsome James Garner plays a womanising frogman. He is seconded for a solo-mission to penetrate Japanese security on an occupied Pacific island and clandestinely copy their radio-codes. Secrecy is paramount.
It sounds like something by Alistair McClean or an early 'Mission Impossible'. He has to be taxi'd to his destination by submarine. And there are issues between himself and the sub's commander played by reliable Edward O'Brien. The seas are shallow and he risks discovery, but there are limits to how far Garner's frogman can swim.
That's about it. The rest of the movie is made up of adventures along the way and the stealthy secret mission on land against the Japanese. There's no particular surprises. It's nicely filmed in colour. Most of the sets are believable. The story and moments of tension are well paced. It's a sturdy little matinée adventure with some decent submarine footage. Good support cast features an equally youthful Warren Oates.
Just remembered, I saw this at the flea-pit as a kid!
It sounds like something by Alistair McClean or an early 'Mission Impossible'. He has to be taxi'd to his destination by submarine. And there are issues between himself and the sub's commander played by reliable Edward O'Brien. The seas are shallow and he risks discovery, but there are limits to how far Garner's frogman can swim.
That's about it. The rest of the movie is made up of adventures along the way and the stealthy secret mission on land against the Japanese. There's no particular surprises. It's nicely filmed in colour. Most of the sets are believable. The story and moments of tension are well paced. It's a sturdy little matinée adventure with some decent submarine footage. Good support cast features an equally youthful Warren Oates.
Just remembered, I saw this at the flea-pit as a kid!
early days of Garner
SnoopyStyle8 June 2021
It's 1942. Submarine Commander Paul Stevenson (Edmond O'Brien) struggle with the life and death of war in the South Pacific. Meanwhile, Navy frogman Lieutenant Braden (James Garner) is having a romance in San Diego with Sally. It turns out that she had been accessing him in secret. With recommendation from her, he is given a secret mission on Stevenson's boat.
This is a solid submarine war movie. While Garner is leading man material, he isn't given enough room to be his charismatic self. It's the early days of his stardom. There is a real submarine and real plane work. Once the movie gets back on land, Garner is by himself and the mission needs to move faster. It's too much waiting and the flashback doesn't help. It's a lot of quietly skulking around. It's not the most exciting of thrills. This is interesting to see an early movie with Garner as the leading man.
This is a solid submarine war movie. While Garner is leading man material, he isn't given enough room to be his charismatic self. It's the early days of his stardom. There is a real submarine and real plane work. Once the movie gets back on land, Garner is by himself and the mission needs to move faster. It's too much waiting and the flashback doesn't help. It's a lot of quietly skulking around. It's not the most exciting of thrills. This is interesting to see an early movie with Garner as the leading man.
decent war flick, but not as good as the book
yortsnave19 July 2000
Robb White's World War II naval-combat/coming-of-age novel is one of my lifetime favorites, so I eagerly anticipated seeing this movie on video. Unfortunately, the book spoiled it for me. I'm sure I would have liked this movie much better if I had never read the book. To be fair, this is a good war flick on its own merits.
An engrossing and suspenseful war drama
NewEnglandPat18 September 2009
This film is a good thriller of a top secret naval operation in the South Pacific during World War II. James Garner's assignment calls for him to swim to a Japanese-controlled island and decipher a code that the Navy needs to anticipate enemy intentions. The film has a claustrophobic feel to it as most of the scenes are filmed below topside as the submarine makes its way to the destination island. There are Japanese destroyers about, dropping depth charges and making matters uncomfortable for the crew. Edmond O'Brien is the sub's by-the-book commander, still shaken by the loss of a crew member during a recent assignment, and he and Garner share a mutual dislike that sets in motion Garner's mission-impossible task. Garner's whirlwind courtship with Andra Martin is the only false note of the movie which adds nothing to the plot. The cast and tech credits are good.
Somewhat, But Not Totally, Familiar......................
redryan6418 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
BY THE YEAR of Anno Domini 1959, Television had take the upper hand in the struggle for supremacy of filmed stories. IOt was during this era that the small screen in our living rooms managed to dim the lights on so many, many of the old neighborhood movie houses that once populated our cities. It was by this time that the big Studios capitulated to the Networks; albeit in one, particular area.
FOLLOWING YEARS of actively opposing any venturing into active participation in TV production; even to the point of forbidding their stars to do guest shots on television.*
EVEN THESE Studio Moguls were compelled to rethink this position; opting that, "if we can't lick 'em, we might as well join 'em!" Before long, the Studios were in TV; enthusiastically supporting what they formerly held out against.
STARTING OUT IN a manner that would seem to have been borrowed from Walt Disney's DISNEYLAND Show; MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Warner Brothers all had weekly hour long anthology series. In them, there would be some look at the history of movies, showcasing some of their old successes. They might interview a current Star and plug his/her current release. (Can you say, "Infomercial?" SO WAS THERE and then a sort of "cross pollination" between Actors on the Big and Small screens. Movie Stars did Guest Shots on TV and those starring in popular series would.............
YES, THEY WOULD be featured in theatrical films. Our honoree of today, is just such an example.
WITH THE PRODUCTION of UP PERISCOPE, the wheel had, indeed, the wheel had spun a full. The film starred James Garner (star of WB's hit series, MAVERICK) and also prominently featured Ed Byrnnes (popular as supporting character,"Kookie", on the same Studio's hot detective show, 77 SUNSERT STRIP.
IN WHAT HAD echoes of Warner's DESTINATION TOKYO, the production team had assembled a great cast. Edmund O'Brien, Andra Martin, Alan Hale, Jr., footballer Frank Gifford and gruff, perennial Sgt. or Chief Petty Officer, Henry Kulky. Also look for a young Warren Oates as a seaman.
THE STORY WAS somewhat similar to the previously mentioned DESTINATION TOKYO: but it had more of a "back home" subplot featuring Mr. Garner and his love life than the other film. There was a sort of modernization in the storyline; which was not made during the War, and hence lacked any element of propaganda.
THE ACTION WAS good and it was filmed in Warnercolor; an advantage that the old, wartime productions lacked.
WE DO RECOMMEND it, if you haven't viewed it, you may be pleasantly surprised. It's just too bad that they didn't make more movies like this in the 1950's. Maybe then there would be more Neighborhood Movie Houses still open today!
NOTE:* This boycotting of television was a direct reversal of the Studios' policies about old time Radio; where they used it to their advantage at every possible instance. (Perhaps the Movies and Television were too similar, no?)
FOLLOWING YEARS of actively opposing any venturing into active participation in TV production; even to the point of forbidding their stars to do guest shots on television.*
EVEN THESE Studio Moguls were compelled to rethink this position; opting that, "if we can't lick 'em, we might as well join 'em!" Before long, the Studios were in TV; enthusiastically supporting what they formerly held out against.
STARTING OUT IN a manner that would seem to have been borrowed from Walt Disney's DISNEYLAND Show; MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Warner Brothers all had weekly hour long anthology series. In them, there would be some look at the history of movies, showcasing some of their old successes. They might interview a current Star and plug his/her current release. (Can you say, "Infomercial?" SO WAS THERE and then a sort of "cross pollination" between Actors on the Big and Small screens. Movie Stars did Guest Shots on TV and those starring in popular series would.............
YES, THEY WOULD be featured in theatrical films. Our honoree of today, is just such an example.
WITH THE PRODUCTION of UP PERISCOPE, the wheel had, indeed, the wheel had spun a full. The film starred James Garner (star of WB's hit series, MAVERICK) and also prominently featured Ed Byrnnes (popular as supporting character,"Kookie", on the same Studio's hot detective show, 77 SUNSERT STRIP.
IN WHAT HAD echoes of Warner's DESTINATION TOKYO, the production team had assembled a great cast. Edmund O'Brien, Andra Martin, Alan Hale, Jr., footballer Frank Gifford and gruff, perennial Sgt. or Chief Petty Officer, Henry Kulky. Also look for a young Warren Oates as a seaman.
THE STORY WAS somewhat similar to the previously mentioned DESTINATION TOKYO: but it had more of a "back home" subplot featuring Mr. Garner and his love life than the other film. There was a sort of modernization in the storyline; which was not made during the War, and hence lacked any element of propaganda.
THE ACTION WAS good and it was filmed in Warnercolor; an advantage that the old, wartime productions lacked.
WE DO RECOMMEND it, if you haven't viewed it, you may be pleasantly surprised. It's just too bad that they didn't make more movies like this in the 1950's. Maybe then there would be more Neighborhood Movie Houses still open today!
NOTE:* This boycotting of television was a direct reversal of the Studios' policies about old time Radio; where they used it to their advantage at every possible instance. (Perhaps the Movies and Television were too similar, no?)
Is This How We Got The Japanese Code?
bkoganbing3 September 2008
Up Periscope is the kind of World War II film that was more common actually during the World War II years. It involves a really incredible mission that Navy Lieutenant James Garner is on. At least the Japanese weren't portrayed as these bucktoothed apes.
The film is really a vehicle for Warner Brothers to showcase a pair of their television stars, Garner and Edd Byrnes from 77 Sunset Strip. Byrnes has a small role as a pharmacist's mate on a submarine. Having a much larger part would be Alan Hale, Jr. as the amorous ensign whose love life is interrupted by Garner's mission.
In fact the whole crew of Captain Edmond O'Brien's submarine gets their leave shortened for Garner. He's been specially vetted for this assignment having as qualifications frogman training and speaking fluent Japanese.
Garner's to be landed on an out of the way Japanese held island, he's to swim ashore while the submarine waits for him for a specific time. He's to photograph the Japanese naval code book and sneak out of there without them knowing it.
This one absolutely has me reeling. Garner because he would kind of stand out among all those Oriental faces no matter how fluent his Japanese was. Wouldn't you think the navy would get a Nisei type for this mission? And if not that, a Chinese person might do nicely.
Because Garner's white, he has to spend a considerable amount of time in hiding in the jungle and do his mission at night.
In point of fact the USA had broken the Japanese code. But that was done in Washington and Pearl Harbor by some hardworking cryptologists, not Garner doing a spying job.
This was the kind of stuff that the public was fed in 1943, but by 1959 it simply wasn't believed. I sure couldn't believe it in 2008.
The film is really a vehicle for Warner Brothers to showcase a pair of their television stars, Garner and Edd Byrnes from 77 Sunset Strip. Byrnes has a small role as a pharmacist's mate on a submarine. Having a much larger part would be Alan Hale, Jr. as the amorous ensign whose love life is interrupted by Garner's mission.
In fact the whole crew of Captain Edmond O'Brien's submarine gets their leave shortened for Garner. He's been specially vetted for this assignment having as qualifications frogman training and speaking fluent Japanese.
Garner's to be landed on an out of the way Japanese held island, he's to swim ashore while the submarine waits for him for a specific time. He's to photograph the Japanese naval code book and sneak out of there without them knowing it.
This one absolutely has me reeling. Garner because he would kind of stand out among all those Oriental faces no matter how fluent his Japanese was. Wouldn't you think the navy would get a Nisei type for this mission? And if not that, a Chinese person might do nicely.
Because Garner's white, he has to spend a considerable amount of time in hiding in the jungle and do his mission at night.
In point of fact the USA had broken the Japanese code. But that was done in Washington and Pearl Harbor by some hardworking cryptologists, not Garner doing a spying job.
This was the kind of stuff that the public was fed in 1943, but by 1959 it simply wasn't believed. I sure couldn't believe it in 2008.
One of the best WWII naval films
matjusm1 February 2011
This film is a hidden gem. When one talks of WWII submarine films, movies such as Das Boot and Run Silent Run Deep come up but Up Periscope rarely gets a mention.
The plot, to sum it up, is about a US navy submarine in the early days of the war with Japan. It has been given a task to deliver a commando (James Garner) to a remote Japanese outpost in the Pacific to do some reconnaissance work. Along the way many perils face both him and the boat.
Its a great film because it doesn't get too dramatic and the subplots are there in just the right amount, not overpowering the main story. The captain of the ship is a good yet slightly flawed man and the characters in general aren't one dimensional. The tension is genuine and the film keeps you at the edge of your seat. Visuals are great too, thanks to the cooperation of the Navy and some very well done miniature scenes.
If you like war films, navy films, WWII films or just a good thriller, watch this.
The plot, to sum it up, is about a US navy submarine in the early days of the war with Japan. It has been given a task to deliver a commando (James Garner) to a remote Japanese outpost in the Pacific to do some reconnaissance work. Along the way many perils face both him and the boat.
Its a great film because it doesn't get too dramatic and the subplots are there in just the right amount, not overpowering the main story. The captain of the ship is a good yet slightly flawed man and the characters in general aren't one dimensional. The tension is genuine and the film keeps you at the edge of your seat. Visuals are great too, thanks to the cooperation of the Navy and some very well done miniature scenes.
If you like war films, navy films, WWII films or just a good thriller, watch this.
2.5 out of 5 action rating
scheelj20 November 2012
See it – Not a run-of-the-mill submarine movie. James Garner stars as an underwater demolitionist expert in World War II who just happens to be fluent in Japanese. But for some reason he is hand-picked by the government to go on a secret mission that requires neither. His mission involves hitching a ride on a submarine, commanded by an uptight captain who does everything strictly by the book. The submarine takes Garner's character undetected to a Japanese island, where his mission is to scuba dive from the sub to the island, sneak into the enemy outpost, and photograph documents for military intelligence. Most of the movie takes place on the sub. The sub encounters an enemy battleship and enemy planes. The best part of the film is the last 30 minutes, when Garner's character finally gets off the sub and gets to sneak around in the jungle. Despite its unique plot, the rest of the movie is very average, including the action. 2.5 action rating.
Deep Sixed.
rmax30482327 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I really like some submarine movies -- "Destination Tokyo" is fun and "Das Boot" is unique -- so I hate to say it but "Up Periscope" is pretty bad.
Edmond O'Brien is the skipper of the Barracuda and he's given the task of taking specialist James Garner to a remote Japanese-held island in World War II. Garner must swim ashore from 2000 yard out and steal an important code book before a coming invasion. O'Brien refuses to put his boat at risk after some earlier traumatic incidents, while Garner argues that he is being sacrificed because of O'Brien's excess of caution.
Both the leads are professionals and they're okay as far as that goes. They've each given better performances -- O'Brien in "DOA" for instance, and Garner in "Barbarians at the Gates." But then what could they, or anyone else, do with these dumb roles? The script, a rude lump of malignancy, was written by Richard Landau. It's as if someone had handed him a fistful of Benzedrine and told him to sit down and write an action/submarine script in 48 hours -- and make it exciting. Oh, and include an unnecessary love interest.
If there's a cliché missing, I missed it. There's the injured man dying below decks because the skipper can't take his boat to the surface, the submarine stuck on the surface for repairs in enemy waters, the strafing by the Japanese airplane (which gets shot down), the depth charges by the Japanese destroyer (which gets sunk), the wounded officer on the deck ordering, "Take her down!" at the sacrifice of his own life, the comic crew member who isn't nearly as funny or charming as the writers think he is (Alan Hale, Jr., son of a genuinely charming cook on the Copperfin in "Destination Tokyo"), the grumbling seamen who don't like the by-the-book captain, men saluting with their caps off below decks. "Dive, dive!" "Rig for silent running!" You will be pardoned if you pendiculate.
There IS something striking about the movie. It's startling in its lack of imagination. It's not an innocent flag waver like "Destination Tokyo" and it doesn't even pretend to the realism of "Das Boot." And it isn't even as funny as "Operation Petticoat."
Edmond O'Brien is the skipper of the Barracuda and he's given the task of taking specialist James Garner to a remote Japanese-held island in World War II. Garner must swim ashore from 2000 yard out and steal an important code book before a coming invasion. O'Brien refuses to put his boat at risk after some earlier traumatic incidents, while Garner argues that he is being sacrificed because of O'Brien's excess of caution.
Both the leads are professionals and they're okay as far as that goes. They've each given better performances -- O'Brien in "DOA" for instance, and Garner in "Barbarians at the Gates." But then what could they, or anyone else, do with these dumb roles? The script, a rude lump of malignancy, was written by Richard Landau. It's as if someone had handed him a fistful of Benzedrine and told him to sit down and write an action/submarine script in 48 hours -- and make it exciting. Oh, and include an unnecessary love interest.
If there's a cliché missing, I missed it. There's the injured man dying below decks because the skipper can't take his boat to the surface, the submarine stuck on the surface for repairs in enemy waters, the strafing by the Japanese airplane (which gets shot down), the depth charges by the Japanese destroyer (which gets sunk), the wounded officer on the deck ordering, "Take her down!" at the sacrifice of his own life, the comic crew member who isn't nearly as funny or charming as the writers think he is (Alan Hale, Jr., son of a genuinely charming cook on the Copperfin in "Destination Tokyo"), the grumbling seamen who don't like the by-the-book captain, men saluting with their caps off below decks. "Dive, dive!" "Rig for silent running!" You will be pardoned if you pendiculate.
There IS something striking about the movie. It's startling in its lack of imagination. It's not an innocent flag waver like "Destination Tokyo" and it doesn't even pretend to the realism of "Das Boot." And it isn't even as funny as "Operation Petticoat."
Average War Drama
atlasmb17 January 2023
This is a war-time, mission-based drama starring James Garner as Lt. Kenneth Braden, who is sent by submarine to complete a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. The film does not fully utilize Garner's talents.
The film, like many others of its type, also includes a shore-bound romance, which adds some interest, but not much, though the love interest is well=played by Andra Martin.
The ending is weak, but it nominally fulfills traditional plot requirements.
For a much better mission-based war drama, see "The Bridge on the River Kwai."
And for a better war-time drama starring Garner, check out "36 Hours", also starring Eva Marie Saint.
The film, like many others of its type, also includes a shore-bound romance, which adds some interest, but not much, though the love interest is well=played by Andra Martin.
The ending is weak, but it nominally fulfills traditional plot requirements.
For a much better mission-based war drama, see "The Bridge on the River Kwai."
And for a better war-time drama starring Garner, check out "36 Hours", also starring Eva Marie Saint.
Maverick goes under water!
sol121829 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
**SPOILERS*** It's 1942 and things are not looking that good for the US Navy with the Japanese now in control of the entire South Pacific west of Midway Island. It's under these dangerous conditions that US Navy frogman, or Navy Seal as they would later be called, Lt. Kenneth Barden, James Garner, is hand picked to sneak onto a Japanese held island and photograph, with his mini-spy camera, the Japanese secret code that in the end would save thousands of American lives in the upcoming invasion of the Solomon and Gilbert Islands in the South Pacific!
Before he takes off on his mission Barden was having a affair with local California girl Sally Johnson, Andera Martin, who fell madly in love with the handsome hunk of a sailor. What Barden didn't know is that Sally was working for US Naval intelligence and ironically picked him, by his qualifications both under the sheets and underwater, to go on what is considered to be a suicide mission that he may never come back from!
A bit slow at first with Braden on the USS Baracuda being shipped out in Japanese infested waters to get on shore and photograph and come back with the secret Japanese naval code with the Japs , in him doing everything possible to avoid contact with them, completely in the dark about it! We have as a sidelight in the film with the by the books and take no BS submarine commander Camdr. Paul Stevensen, Brian O'Brien, who's fanatical going by the book almost has him thrown in the brig by not following US Navel regulations that in fact turned the tide of the war in the Pacific in the US' favor!
***SPOILERS*** Nothing really exciting happened in the movie with the exception of a Jap Zero attack on the Baracuda, and a few Jap boats being sunk, until Barden finally goes ashore on the Japanese held island in his what was to be a mission impossible mission that no one believed, including himself, he would survive anyway. It's here where Camdr. Stevensen finally used some common sense and gave Barden some slack in getting back safely to the awaiting sub, that was quickly exhausting it's oxygen supply,that made the mission a success! Even though the stupid and robotic jerk, Camdr. Stevensen, was more then ready to get himself court-martial-ed for doing it!
P.S There's also in the film it's beautiful sweet and haunting theme song "Please be Kind" everythime we have both Braden and Sally together. You don't know until later in the film the reason Sally burst into tears when she was with Barden in that it was her recommendation, that Barden was totally unaware of, that may possibility send him to certain death! Luckily for her as well as Barden things didn't turn out all that bad for both of them.
Before he takes off on his mission Barden was having a affair with local California girl Sally Johnson, Andera Martin, who fell madly in love with the handsome hunk of a sailor. What Barden didn't know is that Sally was working for US Naval intelligence and ironically picked him, by his qualifications both under the sheets and underwater, to go on what is considered to be a suicide mission that he may never come back from!
A bit slow at first with Braden on the USS Baracuda being shipped out in Japanese infested waters to get on shore and photograph and come back with the secret Japanese naval code with the Japs , in him doing everything possible to avoid contact with them, completely in the dark about it! We have as a sidelight in the film with the by the books and take no BS submarine commander Camdr. Paul Stevensen, Brian O'Brien, who's fanatical going by the book almost has him thrown in the brig by not following US Navel regulations that in fact turned the tide of the war in the Pacific in the US' favor!
***SPOILERS*** Nothing really exciting happened in the movie with the exception of a Jap Zero attack on the Baracuda, and a few Jap boats being sunk, until Barden finally goes ashore on the Japanese held island in his what was to be a mission impossible mission that no one believed, including himself, he would survive anyway. It's here where Camdr. Stevensen finally used some common sense and gave Barden some slack in getting back safely to the awaiting sub, that was quickly exhausting it's oxygen supply,that made the mission a success! Even though the stupid and robotic jerk, Camdr. Stevensen, was more then ready to get himself court-martial-ed for doing it!
P.S There's also in the film it's beautiful sweet and haunting theme song "Please be Kind" everythime we have both Braden and Sally together. You don't know until later in the film the reason Sally burst into tears when she was with Barden in that it was her recommendation, that Barden was totally unaware of, that may possibility send him to certain death! Luckily for her as well as Barden things didn't turn out all that bad for both of them.
Up Periscope and Down Tools.
hitchcockthelegend1 March 2015
Tricky. It's a decent film, lovely to look at with its scope photography and technicolor palettes, James Garner and Edmond O'Brien are holding court in the acting stakes, and of course this being a submarine war film it has the requisite claustrophobic feel. Yet it never really gels as a whole, submerging too far into the mundane to play out a whole bunch of sequences that test the patience of the viewer. There's also the not too small problem of being able to suspend disbelief with the final mission.
Now this is Hollywood and a Warner Brothers film, in 1959, so we don't naturally expect realism in our story telling, in fact we often want incredulity to stir the blood, but this kinda takes the rise too far. Alan Hale Junior is on hand for comic relief, and this proves good foil for Garner's lovable charm, but Gordon Douglas directs at such a snails pace you get the feeling that the comedy is just a merciful release for all involved. In short there's both the good and bad of 1950s war film making on show here; production value is high - narrative thrust is tepid. 6/10
Now this is Hollywood and a Warner Brothers film, in 1959, so we don't naturally expect realism in our story telling, in fact we often want incredulity to stir the blood, but this kinda takes the rise too far. Alan Hale Junior is on hand for comic relief, and this proves good foil for Garner's lovable charm, but Gordon Douglas directs at such a snails pace you get the feeling that the comedy is just a merciful release for all involved. In short there's both the good and bad of 1950s war film making on show here; production value is high - narrative thrust is tepid. 6/10
island scenes were on oahu
sandcrab2775 May 2020
Having been to more pacific atolls than the average person, i recognized right off that the island scenery was not indicative of the south pacific, instead it better resembled some landscaped park area on oahu ... other than that the film lived up to its billing
A superior cast bolsters this otherwise routine war drama.
bux5 September 1999
O'Brien is the sub commander, who loses the trust of his crew, Garner the naval officer assigned a commando mission-but the real story here is the vintage cast-Richard Bakalyan and Warren Oates are joined by TV's familiar faces: Edd (Kooky) Byrnes, Henry (Otto Schmidlapp from "Life of Riley") Kulka, and Alan (the Skipper from "Gilligan's Island") Hale Jr. The fine performances are punctuated by adequate action scenes that result in a very watchable picture.
Up Periscope
CinemaSerf12 August 2023
As a kid, I always loved submarine films. As a weapon of war, they aways provided a great vehicle for an adventure - great atmosphere, murky depths and torpedos that seemed very rarely to hit what they were aimed at! Best of all, though, there was positively no room at sea, on the boat, for any slushy romance!! This film opens with James Garner ("Braden") doing his best impression of the beach scene in "From Here to Eternity" (1953) with Andra Martin ("Sally") and my heart sank - yuk, I thought! Yet, no - stick with it. Shortly after all this sand in the swimsuit malarkey and a marriage proposal after knowing each other for a fortnight, he is shipped out to Pearl Harbour and is soon at sea engaged on a perilous top secret mission to photograph some Japanese radio codes. Edmond O'Brien is his captain - the men don't initially hit it off, and Alan Hale Jr ("Malone") is the generally jovial Irish man in the middle trying to keep the peace, and the pace starts to pick up nicely. Garner was better with more comedic roles; he's probably nobody's idea of an hero but he does OK with this. The tension with O"Brien is just too forced, though - we know all along what's going to happen, so why create this extra layer of animosity? Once it's underway (so to speak) it has a fair degree of action and the denouement provides for quite an exciting display of pyrotechnics. Not the best of this genre by a long chalk, but forget the first twenty minutes and it's well worth a watch.
Average World War II drama
Paularoc10 July 2012
The best part of watching this movie was later reading the reviews as the actual experience of watching it was pretty boring. As did others, I watched the movie because of the cast – O'Brien's "DOA" is on my list of favorite 100 movies, and I grew up watching Maverick, a show that is still fun to watch. The movie was disappointing; the early film romance (and the later revealed reason for it) was ridiculous and added nothing to the movie, Garner's mission to get the Japanese's radio code was not believable and the tension between Garner and the "by-the- book" captain O'Brien played was uninteresting. The humor provided by Alan Hale Jr. was welcome but not memorable. The set, however, was good as it did indeed give a sense of the claustrophobic atmosphere of a submarine. This movie was an okay way to spend an hour and a half plus on, but not good enough to actually seek out.
Locating Family
sailjz5 September 2005
Warning: Spoilers
My name is Jim Zeller and I am trying to locate some information about my cousin who was stationed in New London where this movie was at least partially filmed. At that time he was the senior enlisted Chief on this submarine and was responsible under the Captain for all the ships activities. The producers, or whomever, decided that they would use " Ed Zeller " , Navy Chief in the film because he had a lot of tattoos and his persona really showed that of a real military person. "They" decided to use him in the film as a "torpedo loader" and an "extra" for this film since he identified with the picture that they were presenting. I would like to know where I can find this movie or any comments from people that may have known him. His name " Ed Zeller " , now deceased. Thank you Jim Zeller
Sinking deep
Prismark1011 January 2015
Sometimes a film can be bad and it can still maintain your interest. Up Periscope is bad and boring which is worse. In fact I had problems staying awake and I like James Garner but even he could not save this.
Garner whilst furtively vetted by someone who he thinks is a sweetheart is selected to swim ashore to a Japanese held island and steal a code book.
Edmond O'Brien is the skipper of the submarine who is by the book and makes it clear more than once that if he is not back in time, he will be left behind and there starts a testy relationship.
Garner and O'Brien are fine. The script is dull and full of clichés. It seems there was a lack of imagination in the writing as if this was a quickie B film being knocked out at the least time possible. The directing is by the book basics lacking any verve or energy. Its a poor show.
Garner whilst furtively vetted by someone who he thinks is a sweetheart is selected to swim ashore to a Japanese held island and steal a code book.
Edmond O'Brien is the skipper of the submarine who is by the book and makes it clear more than once that if he is not back in time, he will be left behind and there starts a testy relationship.
Garner and O'Brien are fine. The script is dull and full of clichés. It seems there was a lack of imagination in the writing as if this was a quickie B film being knocked out at the least time possible. The directing is by the book basics lacking any verve or energy. Its a poor show.
Great WW2 Submarine film.
dmercer-551779 April 2020
Rather bland....
planktonrules30 May 2017
"Up Periscope" is an unusual submarine movie. This is because, in general, submarine movies are sensational--tense, exciting and enjoyable. Such films as "Run Silent, Run Deep", "Destination Tokyo" and "The Enemy Below" are classics...as are almost all sub films. Yet, sadly, "Up Periscope" is an adequate film and nothing more.
The problem I had with the film is that there are two plots--one completely unnecessary and the other mildly interesting. When the film begins, Lt. Braden (James Garner) is trying to convince a lady to marry him even though they've only known each other for a few days. This goes on for a while....and has nothing to do with the other story. Braden is transferred to a submarine for a secret mission. Using his amazing demolition and underwater skills, he's to sneak onto a Japanese island...and he needs to hurry lest the sub leave without him.
The romance just seemed tacked on and was an excuse to show a good looking woman in a bathing suit. The other story was routine and not much more....hence my overall score of 5. Purely a time-passer and not much more.
The problem I had with the film is that there are two plots--one completely unnecessary and the other mildly interesting. When the film begins, Lt. Braden (James Garner) is trying to convince a lady to marry him even though they've only known each other for a few days. This goes on for a while....and has nothing to do with the other story. Braden is transferred to a submarine for a secret mission. Using his amazing demolition and underwater skills, he's to sneak onto a Japanese island...and he needs to hurry lest the sub leave without him.
The romance just seemed tacked on and was an excuse to show a good looking woman in a bathing suit. The other story was routine and not much more....hence my overall score of 5. Purely a time-passer and not much more.
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