Crash Dive (1943)

A submarine lieutenant and his commander fall in love with the same girl.

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

Jo Swerling (screenplay), W.R. Burnett (original story)

Stars:

Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tyrone Power	...	Lt. Ward Stewart (as Tyrone Power U.S.M.C.R.)
Anne Baxter	...	Jean Hewlett
Dana Andrews	...	Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Connors
James Gleason	...	Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell
May Whitty	...	Grandmother (as Dame May Whitty)
Harry Morgan	...	Brownie (as Henry Morgan)
Ben Carter	...	Oliver Cromwell Jones

Storyline

Against his personal preference, PT boat commander Ward Stewart is made executive officer of the submarine USS Corsair. On leave before sailing, he meets schoolteacher Jean Hewlett and gives her a romantic rush...unaware that she's the sweetheart of Dewey Connors, his new commander. At sea, the men bond while fighting German Q-ships. When will they discover their mutual romantic rivalry? Will it interfere with a spectacular commando raid on a secret German base?

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Plot Keywords:

romantic triangle | taming of the shrew | jefferson memorial | lincoln memorial | washington monument washington d.c. | 

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Taglines:

Tyrone Power -- Leading a reckless crew on the war's most daring mission! Battling death in a depth-bombed submarine! Blasting Nazis on a bold Commando raid! Finding love in precious, stolen moments! Crashing his way to unforgettable glory in...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The term "the smoking lamp is lit" is used several times. In the days before matches were widely available square rigger sailing ships provided a burning lamp so that smokers could light their pipes or cigars. It was usually located in the forecastle or near the galley where smoking was permitted. The term "the smoking lamp is lit" meant that smoking was permitted. The term "the smoking lamp is out" meant that smoking was not permitted due to dangerous proceedings such as handling gunpowder.

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Goofs

When the PT boat is rescuing survivors and they spot a U-boat, the young boy who was being hauled aboard the PT boat is wearing a life-jacket. The close up in the next shot shows Lt Stewart lifting the boy up to put him back in the lifeboat. The boy is no longer wearing the life-jacket. In the following shot, as Lt. Stewart completes putting him back into the lifeboat, the boy is again wearing the life-jacket.

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Quotes

Oliver Cromwell Jones: Mac, it's none of my business, and it certainly isn't up to me to give you advice, but if I had a weak heart ...
Chief 'Mac' McDonnell: What are you talking about?
Oliver Cromwell Jones: A man don't take nitroglycerine for dandruff.

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Crazy Credits

This movie's opening prologue states: "The cooperation and assistance of the officers and men of the U.S. Navy submarine base, New London, Connecticut, is gratefully acknowledged."

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Connections

Featured in Going Hollywood: The War Years (1988)

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Soundtracks

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree
(uncredited)
Music by Sam H. Stept (1942)
Lyrics by Lew Brown and Charles Tobias
Sung in part by Tyrone Power in the car

User Reviews

Where WAS that base anyway?

Tyrone Power's last film before going to war was this World War II epic which co-starred him with Dana Andrews and Anne Baxter and a good cast of supporting players. This did win an Oscar for Special Effects with the raid on the Nazi Submarine base.

And that's what makes this thing so stupid. Where was that base? Given what World War II vintage subs could do in performance, that base had to be Block Island, Martha's Vineyard or at worst, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. You're asked to believe that the Nazis constructed a secret submarine base somewhere on some mythical isle in the Atlantic. These guys went off on some short cruise from New London to find this base. Just where were the Nazis operating?

Tyrone Power must have laughed himself silly every time he thought of this one. Especially in the South Pacific where served with the Marines in several major Pacific campaigns. At his funeral, there was a Marine honor guard as would befit a retired Major.

The rest of the story is your standard triangle the kind Power played in with Don Ameche during peacetime in the 30s. Except that here, the Ameche part was played by Dana Andrews.

One positive note. Black actor Ben Carter played a cook in the submarine galley and he's shown in an actual combat mission. It was an unusual role for a black actor to play at that time and I think he played it well. Some racial stereotyping, but his concern and affection for James Gleason who was the CPO on the submarine was real and rang true.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

1943 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ss 111

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White (1956 reissue) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1