Run Silent, Run Deep
Even though it was based on a novel by an actual Naval officer- Commander Edward L. Beach, “Run Silent, Run Deep” is very much a product of Hollywood war movie programming. It takes the basic bones of the story, including the book’s title, for its own purposes, and the resulting film from director Robert Wise is an exciting prototype of genre efforts to come, most especially, 1995’s “Crimson Tide.” Part of why a film like this works is because it knows the appeal of watching two heavyweight actors go after one another, and this film delivers that.
In 1942, Commander Rich Richardson (Clark Gable) is taking his crew through a perilous part of Pacific waters during WWII when they are attacked and destroyed; for the next year, he is forced to take a desk job. In 1943, he gets the opportunity to captain a new submarine, and vengeance against the elusive Japanese sub, which has taken out several other American ships. His new sub gives him a crew loyal to their first mate, Lt. Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster), who was hoping to finally captain his own ship. When their journey goes into dangerous waters, that tension will lead to difficult decisions being made.
From that basic plot description, you’ll probably be able to discern how the story of “Run Silent, Run Deep” plays out, but why it is such an entertaining film to watch- even for someone who’s been a huge “Crimson Tide” fan for almost 30 years- is to see how Wise and screenwriter John Gay build tension, and give Gable and Lancaster room to just feast on scenery. The supporting cast includes Jack Warden and Don Rickles, and has some good character moments for them and others. The battle scenes are well-constructed, and suspense is high when personal feelings of how this mission should be led and actual battle tactics are at odds with one another. Wise was a wonderful craftsman, who cut his teeth early as an editor- as well as a director for producer Val Lewton- before becoming a craftsman of classics like “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” “The Haunting,” “West Side Story” and “The Sound of Music” later in his career, as well as “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” While “Run Silent, Run Deep” lacks the strength of those films, it’s a more than capable B-movie war drama that is worth watching if you haven’t seen it, whether you’re a war film fan, a Robert Wise fan, or a fan of the stars.
Kino Lorber just released this on a new Blu-Ray on January 16, 2024, with the theatrical trailer, as well as a commentary by filmmaker/historian Steve Mitchell and author Steven Joy Rubin.
