Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Tom Hanks | ... | Captain Krause | |
Elisabeth Shue | ... | Evelyn | |
Stephen Graham | ... | Charlie Cole | |
Matt Helm | ... | Lt. Nystrom | |
Craig Tate | ... | Pitts | |
Rob Morgan | ... | Cleveland | |
Travis Quentin | ... | Ipsen | |
Jeff Burkes | ... | Shannon (as Jeffrey Burkes) | |
Matthew Zuk | ... | Flusser | |
Joseph Poliquin | ... | Lee Helmsman #1 | |
Casey Bond | ... | Helmsman #1 | |
Josh Wiggins | ... | Talker #1 | |
Michael Benz | ... | Carling | |
Grayson Russell | ... | Signalman #1 | |
Ian James Corlett | ... | Dicky (voice) |
Based upon the novel "The Good Shepherd" by C S Forester, this is the thrilling story of an Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 as it faces relentless attack by a German submarine wolf pack. The leader of the convoy's destroyer screen is a US Navy commander making his first Atlantic crossing. The story focuses on the his command responsibility as he fights the cold, the relentless night, the brutal sea, and his deep fatigue as he chases down the attacking submarines in the deadly game of cat and mouse. The exciting story, a thrilling ride-along with the beleaguered captain, so deeply portrays the elements of battle command that for a long period of time the book was used as a text at the US Naval Academy. Written by Nlappos
Having served in the Cold War on both a destroyer and on a submarine, I found this story contrasting the tensions between both worlds. The action is shown from the bridge, CIC, and decks of the Greyhound, which BTW is the slang term for destroyers and those who serve on them. Hanks subtly conveys the ache of leaving a loved one behind and her presence with him during the battle. He and his crew feel the presence of the subs stalking the surface ships and the deaths of sailors both above and below the icy water. There is no perfect rendering of combat in film, but the repeated commands and protocols between naval personnel and vessels are accurate enough to convey a sense of proper urgency to the story. Compressing roughly 48 tense hours into a ~2 hour film doesn't give much time to absorb all that's happening, and that's the point. Training and subsequent reactions shape the story in the faces of the bridge crew as they watch the captain and follow his orders which he does not explain. This is about relationships between combatants, among the ships in the convoy, and between U.S. and British allies. This film, The Enemy Below, and Das Boot make a reasonable trilogy for a weekend marathon. Enjoy this story from either a technical or a relational view as you see fit.