THE NAVY COMES THROUGH

US, 1942, Minutes, Black and white.
Pat O’ Brien, George Murphy, Jane Wyatt, Jackie Cooper, Carl Esmond, Max Baer, Ray Collins.
Directed by A. Edward Sutherland.

The Navy Comes Through opens in 1940, with an accident aboard a ship, the captain, Pat O’ Brien in his sternest leadership manner, taking a severe stance on the behaviour of the officer played by George Murphy, whom he dislikes, especially as his sister, Jane Wyatt, is sweet on him. Murphy leaves the Navy and disappears. But ware breaks out, O’ Brien is in charge of a merchant Navy ship and Murphy has reinlisted – and Jane Wyatt has also enlisted as a nurse. For the plot’s sake, they all find themselves on the one ship.

There is action in the north Atlantic, especially a submarine attack where the Navy men have to work hard on their timing in order to succeed with firing at ships and submarines. The men have formed a group, some leadership with an Austrian violin player excited by the Nazis, Carl Esmond, and a rough and ready sailor played by former boxing champion, Max Baer. The merchant captain is played by Ray Collins.

The key event is the taking of a German ship, disguised as British, which is carrying torpedoes to various submarines in the Atlantic. Murphy realises that the Germans have set a torpedo on their ship to destroy the Americans but finds a way to dismantle the torpedo. Murphy also suggests, and O’Brien? agrees, that they should pursue the submarines, pretending to deliver the torpedoes, and destroy them. O’ Brien lets Murphy take charge – with a happy ending for all concerned, O’ Brien mellowing, Murphy being exonerated, and happy romantic ending for the couple.

Later, Warner Brothers were to do something along these lines with action in Action in the North Atlantic with Humphrey Bogart. But, this is an early contribution to morale-boosting and patriotism at the beginning of American involvement in the world war.

1. A film of its time? American pride in the Navy? Action in World War II? Morale-boosting and propaganda?

2. Hollywood stories, the conventions of the Navy, action at sea? Commanders and subordinates? Romance?

3. The initial crisis? The accident on the ship? The stern standards of Mallory? By the book? Tom Sands and his initiative? The accident? The death of those who could witness to his command? His dishonourable discharge?

4. Mallory and his relationship with his sister, his dislike of Sands, her love for Tom? His disappearance?

5. The bombing of Pearl Harbor? The destruction? Roosevelt and his declaration of war? The enlistments?

6. The merchant Navy, transporting supplies across the Atlantic, the co-operation with the Navy? Mallory in charge? His relationship with the captain? The sailors arriving, the drink in the pub, the notice of the loose lips sinking ships and their talking too loudly, the spy and his transmitting the information? The submarine attack?


7. Myra and her being appointed as a nurse, the farewell to her brother, discovering Tom was on the ship?

8. Tom and his reputation, the men disliking him? The issue of the bunk? Mallory and his going by the book, even with Sands? Berringer and his size, comments? The men interested in baseball and scores Western Mark? The Austrian, the musician, his playing? His hand been wounded? The Cuban, coming to save America, his singing? The young man with ambitions, the farewell to his mother, Mallory sending him back to say a proper farewell and a kiss, his studies, Sands helping him, the radio, baseball information, German information?

8. The submarine, the confrontation, the destroying of the submarine? Mallory dissatisfied and making the men drill? The collapse of the man? The need for hospital attendance? Myra coming to the ship?

9. The information about the delivery of torpedoes, the captain agreeing with Mallory, Sands’ idea, to take over the ship, suspecting that the Germans had set a torpedo trap, dismantling? The taking of the German crew as prisoners of war?

10. Sands’ idea of pursuing the submarines, Mallory putting him in charge, yet the reputation of having run away – in order to save Myra? The men not knowing this?

11. The two submarines and their attack, the German impersonations, the training with Heil Hitler, the Germans recognising the violin player, the double attack but the Americans defeating them?

12. Sands’ heroism, Mallory’s recognition, the official re-in statement, and the happy romantic ending?

13. This kind of film in retrospect, in the history of Hollywood, as war propaganda in comparison with other propaganda movies?