The Enemy Below

original title:
The Enemy Below
other titles:
(Duell im Atlantik)
country / year of production:
USA / 1957
original length:
98 min. , color
premiere:
D: 17 January 1958
genre:
adventure
based on:
Denys Arthur Rayner. The Enemy Below. New York: Holt, 1957.
director:
Dick Powell
film script:
Wendell Mayes , D.A. Rayner
producer:
Dick Powell
cinematographer:
Harold Rosson
editor:
Stuart Gilmore
composer:
Leigh Harline
cast (role):
Robert Mitchum (Captain Murrell) , Curd Jürgens (Von Stolberg) , Theodore Meir Bikel ('Heinie' Schwaffer) , Russell Collins (Doctor) , Kurt Kreuger (Von Holem) , Robert Mitchum , Curd Jürgens , Theodore Meir Bikel , Russell Collins , Kurt Kreuger
more:
plot synopsis:
A duel in the Atlantic between the Captain of the American destroyer and the commander of a German U-boat. Capt. Murrell, a former Merchant Mariner, who saw his wife killed when his freighter was torpedoed by the Germans. Veteran U-Boat commander von Stolberg is an experienced officer who sees no honor in the German aims of the war. Von Stolberg desperately attempts to escape Murel`s destroyer and eventually manage to launch a torpedo that damages Murell`s destroyer. With a trick Murell makes von Stolberg come to the surface where he rams the submarine. Both crew are rescued by another American destroyer.

Both of these highly battle-hardened men
keywords:
sea-battle , navy , submarine
war:
Second World War (1939-1945)
literature:
remarks:
Won an „Oscar“ for Best Special Effect in 1958.

Curd Jürgens play a very similar charcter too Jürgen Prochnow in "The Boat": a cunning old devil and experienced seaman, who despite his distaste for the Nazi-regime does what he considers his patriotic and solderly duty.
availability:
VHS