Das Boot (1981)

The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror.

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers:

Lothar G. Buchheim (novel), Wolfgang Petersen

Stars:

Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann

Top 250 #72 | Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Capt.-Lt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock - Der Alte
Herbert Grönemeyer	...	Lt. Werner - Correspondent
Klaus Wennemann	...	Chief Engineer Fritz Grade - Der Leitende-Der LI
Hubertus Bengsch	...	1st Lieutenant - Number One-1WO
Martin Semmelrogge	...	2nd Lieutenant - 2WO
Bernd Tauber	...	Kriechbaum - Chief Quartermaster-Navigator
Erwin Leder	...	Johann
Martin May	...	Ullman
Heinz Hoenig	...	Hinrich (as Heinz Hönig)
Uwe Ochsenknecht	...	Chief Bosun
Claude-Oliver Rudolph	...	Ario
Jan Fedder	...	Pilgrim
Ralf Richter	...	Frenssen (as Ralph Richter)
Joachim Bernhard	...	Preacher
Oliver Stritzel	...	Schwalle

Storyline

It is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called "Battle of the Atlantic" to harass and destroy British shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. "Das Boot" is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submariners maintained their professionalism as soldiers, attempted to accomplish impossible missions, while all the time attempting to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they served.

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Plot Keywords:

u boat | submarine | mission | destroyer | boredom | 

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Taglines:

Wenn Jäger zu Gejagten werden.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some war violence and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Twin Brothers

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English French

Release Date:

10 February 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Boat

Filming Locations:

Atlantic Ocean

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

DEM 245,271 (Germany) (2 January 1998)

Gross:

$11,433,134 (USA) (25 April 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bavaria Film, Radiant Film GmbH, Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

149 min 209 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (director's cut) Dolby (original release) SDDS (director's cut)

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Given that the convoy is attacked under a full moon, and after this, the crew expected to be given leave for Christmas, odds are that evening is either November 3rd, 4th or 5th, or perhaps Dec. 3rd, 4th or 5th. Those were the dates for the full moon in Nov. & Dec. 1941.

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Goofs

When the U-96 surfaces after the drill and test dive the bow wake of the camera boat can be clearly seen at the bottom of the frame.

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Quotes

Pilgrim: Hey, have you got any hairs up your nose?
Frenssen: Why?
Pilgrim: I've got some up my ass. Maybe we can tie them together?

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Operation Double 007 (1993)

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Soundtracks

"J'attendrai"
Performed by Rina Ketty

User Reviews

Top of the line

When you go to a liquor store to buy Vodka you can purchase one of several brands or you can purchase Stoli. That's what Das Boot is when it comes to Submarine films. You can watch any one of several or you can watch Das Boot. Like Stoli Vodka it's in a class by itself. Superb film either way you see it i.e. subtitles or the dubbed version. See the directors cut if you can. The German crew could be any nationality the film is so well done it doesn't matter. Andy Rooney once said that when you're in a war you live life at 100%. The opening scene of this film demonstrates that. The men are living life at 100%. I never saw any other war movie that captured that like Das Boot.