TORPEDO RUN

US, 1958, 95 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Diane Brewster, Dean Jones.
Directed by Joseph Pevney.

Torpedo Run is typical of many war films made in the '50s. Although the memories of World War II and its action were dimming somewhat by the end of the '50s, the tributes and the explorations of action during the war still flooded the screens.

This film was written by Richard Sale, a storywriter with an interest in the sea e.g. Abandon Ship (1957) which he himself directed. Direction here is by Joseph Pevney, a director of many comedies and action films at Universal including the Jeff Chandler vehicle Away All Boats.

The film is a star vehicle for Glenn Ford, at the height of his career and making numerous films, as well as for Ernest Borgnine who had just won an Oscar for Marty. Dean Jones was at the beginning of his career. The film remembers the American action in the Pacific, especially submarine action. but highlights aspects of the drama with a crisis of conscience for the Commander in attacking a Japanese warship which is being screened by a ship bearing prisoners of war. including his wife and daughter. The action sequences and the crisis give some impact to the film.

1. An interesting war film? An interesting human drama? Impact in the '50s? Now? The memories of World War II?

2. Cinemascope, colour photography? The emphasis on technical detail with the submarine? The techniques of tracking warships, strategies for destroying them? The musical score?

3. Audience familiarity with this kind of film? The situation in the Pacific, the role of the Americans, the taking of the Philippines, American prisoners of war? The skill of the Japanese Navy and submarine commanders? The clash in war? Human crises? Conscience? Heroism? How were the conventional devices used?

4. Audience identification with the situations? The focus on Barney Doyle and his skills as submarine commander? Archer Sloan as his assistant? The collaboration of his crew, loyalty? The English observer? The situation with the Shinaru? The sense of mission? The skill with torpedo destruction? The missing of the Shinaru and the destruction of the prisoner of warship? The personal crisis? Interactions? Naval authorities? The final heroism?

5. The portrait of Barney Doyle - Glenn Ford's style? Intensity? The flashbacks for his wife and daughter, the life in the Philippines, the courting and proposal, the birthday party? Archie's presence and his friendship? The reality of his wife and daughter being on the ship? His sense of duty? The destruction of the prisoner of war ship? The reaction? The naval authorities and their attitude? His antagonism towards Sloan and suspicions? The mission to destroy the Shinaru, the going into Tokyo harbour, going through the net? The success of the mission? The escape from the waterlogged submarine? A portrait of a Navy commander?

6. The balance with Archie? His loyalty, support, help in the running of the ship? Relationships with the men? The human touch? Refusing his own command? Being put down by Barney? The final working together? The importance of Archie being seen in the flashbacks and the bonds of friendship from the past?

7. The impact of the flashbacks: Barney and his shyness, proposing to his wife, life in the Philippines, the pathos of her imprisonment and death? The audience sharing this?

8. The anonymity of the Japanese, being seen as the enemy? Their skills and strategies? The use of prisoner of war ships as screening? Audience response to the final destruction of the Shinaru.

9. The sketch of members of the crew - their working together, drill, the human touch? Fears? Response in difficult situations? The strategy of the English observer?

10. The action sequences and their power? The final escape from the submarine?

11. Themes of war, death and destruction, heroism, sense of duty? Personal crises and crises of duty?