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• WWII Naval battle "The Enemy Below"

  • Dave
  • 12/23/12

  I remember watching this movie when I was a kid growing up, I would take a guess the first time I watched it would have been when I was around 8 yrs old and what made it more interesting to me was the fact that my dad was a US Navy veteran of WWII. We both enjoyed this movie and I'm sure it brought back a lot of memories to my dad of the time he served. As an adult now in my 50s I have watched most all of the old WWII movies, this one has to rank as my all time favorite. Robert Mitchum's character would be what I would envision as a US Navy officer in the heat of battle, one who keeps his emotions in check, calculates the best strategy of action in response to the enemy , the constant hide and seek with each side trying to out wit the other. I've watched this movie many times in the years since i first watched it and hope to see it again soon.. If you're a WWII history buff who likes these old war movies then this is a must see..

• The Enemy Below (1957)

  • James Higgins
  • 3/23/10

  I feel Robert Mitchum is the most under appreciated actor of his time. For some reason at that time he wasn’t considered a skilled actor, all the attention went to Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, William Holden and Marlon Brando. His performances in Heaven Knows Mr. Allison, The Night of the Hunter and Cape Fear are three of the best performances of all time. He is excellent in The Enemy Below as well. Great story with a fascinating plot and characters that evolve beautifully. It’s a good study of human nature and respect. Good cinematography, very well produced. Suspenseful and intriguing, with a rousing score.

• Battle of Wits

  • Steve
  • 4/16/08

  This a great film of two men trying to out-wit each other in order to survive a battle during WWII. Different as this is a naval battle, and there are not too many films of that genre. Curt Jurgens plays the u-boat captain. A senior officer in the German armed forces, his character displays the resentment of many of his fellow senior officers toward the regime in power, but powerless to do anything about it except to continue to do the duty at hand. Robert Mitchum's character, as the destoyer captain, is very good. I had a problem with his character at first. He was a 3rd officer on a merchant ship that got torpedoed before becoming a destoryer captain and an excellent sub hunter to boot! Now merchant marine 3rd officers don't become Navy ship captains overnight in anybody's navy. But alas, I didn't write the script. Excellent film to watch and please do watch it.

• MOST AUTHENTIC NAVAL WAR MOVIE

  • ROBERT KRAUSS
  • 4/13/08

  A LATER MILITARY AFFAIRS WRITER AND HISTORIAN, I SERVED AS A YOUNG GUNNER'S MATE ON A WWII SOMMERS LASS DESTOYER FROM 1967-1970 IN THE US NAVY. LIVING AND LEARNING ABOARD A WWII ERA VESSAL I BECAME SO FAMILIAR WITH WWII ASW ROUTINE. FROM THE ACTUAL SHIP TO THE TOTALLY AUTHENTIC UNIFORMS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW THEY WERE WORN TO THE SHIPBOARD ROUTINE AND COMBAT DRILL THE MOVIE IS FLAWLESS. THE TOP LEVEL ACTORS ARE TOTALLY BELEIVABLE AND THE DIRECTING IS UNDERACTED WHICH IS ITS GREATEST ACHEIVEMENT. HAVING SERVED IN A CLOSE SHORE GUNFIRE ROLE OFF THE COAST OF VIETNEM I CAN ATTEST THAT AT TIMES OF HIGH DRAMA AND CRISIES SOLDIERS BEHAVE IN THE MANOR DEPICTED IN THE FILM, UNLIKE MANY LATER WAR FILMS INWHICH EVERYONE GOES TO HYESTERICAL PIECES WHEN THE FIRST SHOT IS FIRED. A BETTER PORTRAIT OF NAVAL MEN IN COMBAT I HAVE NEVER SCENE! FIVE STARS!

• Jurgen is great.

  • Andrew
  • 7/30/06

  His portrayal of the tired, war-sick German Captain is terrific, far above the usual "icky Nazi" type of thing. He serves his country, yet hates the road his country is headed down. Great film.

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