The USS Appleby is stationed off the Arctic coast assigned to test new deck paint in -24F degree weather. The conditions make the crew short and agitated with one another. Ensign O'Toole (Dean Jones) contends that the men need recreation and the men gather to watch the movie on board that they've seen countless times. A comical variation of the pie fight breaks out with popcorn. The next recreational idea is to have fun relaxing with hobby crafts, which becomes a drilled order. Seaman White (Robert Sorrells) goes down to work on his hobby craft on top of the sonar power supply. As he pounds at the copper ashtray he's making, he is unknowingly sending sonar signals to the control room. As he carries out different tasks on the ashtray he is sending different sound patterns, and the crew think they have picked up a Russian submarine. As White hammers faster they think the sub is gaining ground on them, and panic ensues. The nerve-wrecking tension and mistaken scenario is quite hilarious. A swift, well written and executed script.
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