U-571 (2000)

A German submarine is boarded by disguised American submariners trying to capture their Enigma cipher machine.

Director:

Jonathan Mostow

Writers:

Jonathan Mostow (story), Jonathan Mostow (screenplay)

Stars:

Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel

Won 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew McConaughey	...	Lt. Andrew Tyler
Bill Paxton	...	Lt. Cmdr. Mike Dahlgren
Harvey Keitel	...	CPO Henry Klough
Jon Bon Jovi	...	Lt. Pete Emmett
David Keith	...	Maj. Matthew Coonan
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Capt.-Lt. Gunther Wassner
Jake Weber	...	Lt. Hirsch
Jack Noseworthy	...	Seaman Bill Wentz
Tom Guiry	...	Seaman Ted 'Trigger' Fitzgerald
Will Estes	...	Seaman Ronald 'Rabbit' Parker
Terrence 'T.C.' Carson	...	Steward Eddie Carson (as T.C. Carson)
Erik Palladino	...	Seaman Anthony Mazzola
Dave Power	...	Seaman Charles 'Tank' Clemens
Derk Cheetwood	...	Seaman Herb Griggs
Matthew Settle	...	Ens. Keith Larson

Storyline

In the midst of World War II, the battle below the seas rages. The Nazis have the upper edge as the Allies are unable to crack their war codes. That is, until a wrecked U-boat sends out an SOS signal, and the Allies realize this is their chance to seize the 'enigma coding machine'. But masquerading as Nazis and taking over the U-boat is the smallest of their problems. The action really begins when they get stranded on the U-boat.

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Plot Keywords:

u boat | submarine movie | world war two | battle | crew | 

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Taglines:

You won't come up for air until it's over!

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Genres:

Action | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for war violence

Details

Official Sites:

West Video / Videoguide Company (russian)

Country:

France USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

21 April 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

U-571: La batalla del Atlántico

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$62,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,553,310, 23 April 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$77,086,030, 13 August 2000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$127,666,415, 30 June 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Canal Plus Image International,Dino De Laurentiis Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Coincidentally, 571 was the numerical designation of the U.S.S. Nautilus, launched in 1954, the first nuclear submarine.

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Goofs

When the Captain is summoned to the outside of the U-571 by the crew (U.S.), he confronts a German destroyer dead ahead, blocking their path. We clearly see the guns aiming directly at the U-571 at this point (only for a moment, as the Captain emerges from the sub). Yet moments later, when the Captain orders his crew to fire on the destroyer's radio, the destroyer responds by turning its guns towards the U-571, because they are now shown pointing in another direction.

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Quotes

[as depth charges start falling]
Seaman Ronald 'Rabbit' Parker, Torpedoman: Chief, you ever been depth-charged?
Chief Klough: Once, off Murmansk, back in World War One. One charge came so close, it rattled four teeth out of the skipper's head.
[a charge goes off overhead with a loud bang]
Chief Klough: Wasn't even close.

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Alternate Versions

At least one version of the theatrical release contained no subtitles for the opening scene aboard the German submarine. This was possibly to increase dramatic effect, placing emphasis on the acting and visuals rather than the dialogue.

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Connections

Featured in U-571: Britain Captures the U-110 (2000)

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Soundtracks

Lover, Come Back to Me
Written by Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein II
(performed at the wedding reception while Dahlgreen is talking to Tyler)

User Reviews

Offensive & revisionist, it should not have been made.

I have only one comment about the movie and it isn't about its suspense, direction, acting or musical score. It's about deceit. Reading through user comments, I see that many are in touch with the idea that this is a British story, not American. But do they grasp how much more ignorance this is fostering?

People are saying that the supply lines between America and Britain were being threatened by the U-Boats and that America had to come to the rescue. This folks, is simply untrue, revisionist garbage. And people are buying it. It offends me, because as a Canadian, I am painfully aware of the fact that America risked nothing at all to supply Britain in its hour of need - that was Canada's great claim to fame, and America's claim to shame. The British captured the enigma first, the Canadians caught another later and the U.S. WASN'T EVEN IN THE WAR YET!

This is beyond "just entertainment" as Americans are now laying quasi-historical claim (and we all know how many will take some or all of it as true - most) to victories and sacrifices purchased by people of other nations. If you want to spit on someone else's flag, just spit on it, don't steal their histories and dishonor their heroes and their fallen soldiers. Nobody can fall back on "it's just a movie," unless they already feel at home with a British movie about how the Brits won the Battle of Midway and saved the Americans.

Americans have plenty to be proud of, plenty of heroes from that war, plenty of stories they could bring out to show their pride and grit without resorting to such theft.

This movie should have been made as British or not at all. Another sad day for film.