U 571
US, 2000, 116 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Mc Conaughy, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jake Weber, David Keith.
Directed by Jonathan Mostow.
U571 is an American World War II story. It concerns submarines and the capture of an Enigma machine to break the German codes during the war in the Atlantic. In fact, the Enigma was gained by the British (and can be seen in the UK film of 2000, Enigma, directed by Michael Apted).
Whatever the facts of the case (and the end of the film gives some historical information about American activity and the breaking of codes as well as submarine action) the film is in the tradition of Crimson Tide, Hunt for Red October and, especially, the German Academy Award-winning The Boat.
The film also shows the issue of leadership quite strongly, with Matthew Mc Conaughy as a young officer wanting to be in command but his superiors finding him unready for the task. There are strong speeches by Bill Paxton and Harvey Keitel on the nature of authority in a submarine. When the boat is sunk, a group who has boarded the German submarine is stranded and Mc Conaughy has to take charge. There is a great deal of cat-and-mouse activity as the destroyer pursues the submarine and the submarine, against all odds being repaired, is able then to destroy the destroyer.
Jonathan Mostow made the interesting thriller Breakdown and went on to direct the third Terminator film.
1. The popularity of films about submarines, life on the submarine, activity in war? Hazards and dangers?
2. The re-creation of 1942, the destroyers, the submarines, action in the Atlantic? The action sequences, editing and pace, special effects? Musical score?
3. The historical background, the Enigma machine, the role of the British, the claims of the Americans, actual American activity as indicated at the end of the film? Fact and fiction, sixty years afterwards?
4. The strategy for gaining the Enigma machine, the information from the U-boat, the plans about enemy destroyers, the old submarine being taken out for the mission, the young man who could speak German, the plan of taking the submarine by force, getting the machine? The reality of the pursuit of the submarine, the dangers of the encounter, the sinking of the American ship, the Americans being stranded, being able to float and to use the German submarine? The pursuit, their prisoner giving Morse Code messages, going deep, repairing the submarine, coming up and destroying it? Gaining the Enigma machine? The heroism in World War II stories?
5. The personalities of the sailors: Tyler, his youth, enthusiasm, skills, his approaching Commander Dahlgren, the commander telling him that he was not ready, the long speech about the nature of decisions to be made by commanders, Tyler's compassion for the crew, hesitating in making hard decisions? His work on the ship, his command, his relationship with the chief? Leading the mission, the approach to the German submarine, the attack, taking it over? The confrontation with the German boat and the crew coming out to meet the submarine? His taking command, the chief telling him off for saying that he didn't know the answers? The strong speech about leadership and the commander knowing even when he didn't know? The strategy, its effectiveness, the tension, the success in destroying the German ship? Commander Dahlgren, in command, going to the meeting for the plan, the interview with the young man speaking German, his relationship with Tyler, the speech, trusting him? She ship going down at his death? Chief Klough, efficient, wise in command, explaining to Tyler the nature of command? His being able in the crisis?
6. The other officers, their work, interactions, reactions to Tyler, following the commands? Lieutenant Hirsch and his intelligence work, the plan, recruiting the young man who spoke German?
7. Marine Major Coonan, intelligence, the plan, the explosives?
8. The range of younger sailors, the black sailor, the sailor who lacked confidence in Tyler, the sailor who spoke German?
9. The Germans, the opening and their conversation on the submarine, the subtitles? The destruction of the submarine? The approach to the American submarine, thinking it was German? The retreat, the attack on the ship, taking it over? The taking of prisoners? The captain going down? The officer taken, imprisoned, tapping out messages, his being killed?
10. This kind of war story sixty years after the event, the role of the Americans, the role of action heroes? The nature of war, strategies and tactics?
