Movie Cosmos - Crash Dive

Description:

A US Navy submarine, the USS Corsair, is operating in the North Atlantic, hunting German merchant raiders that are preying on Allied shipping. Its new executive officer, Lt. Ward Stewart, has been transferred back into submarines after commanding his own PT boat. At the submarine base in New London, Connecticut, he asks his new captain, Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Connors, for a weekend leave to settle his affairs before taking up his new assignment. On a train bound for Washington D.C., Stewart accidentally encounters New London school teacher Jean Hewlett and her students. Despite her initial resistance to his efforts, he charms her and they fall in love.

Top Cast >

Tyrone Power

As Lt. Ward Stewart

Anne Baxter

As Jean Hewlett

Dana Andrews

As Lt. Cdr. Dewey Connors

James Gleason

As Chief Mike 'Mac' McDonnell

May Whitty

As Grandmother

Harry Morgan

As Brownie

Ben Carter

As Oliver Cromwell Jones

Stanley Andrews

As Shipwrecked Captain (uncredited)

John Archer

As Curly Bowman (uncredited)

Gene Rizzi

As Seaman Rizzi (uncredited)

Frederic Brunn

As Q Boat Lieutenant (uncredited)

Frank Conroy

As Capt. Bryson

Fred Aldrich

As German Seaman

David Bacon

As Lieutenant

Brooks Benedict

As Angry Man at Hotel Registration Desk

Lulu Mae Bohrman

As Undetermined Secondary Role

Dorothy Brent

As Schoolgirl

Paul E. Burns

As Simmons - Desk Clerk

Harry Carter

As Sailor

Gene Collins

As Boy in Lifeboat

James Conaty

As Hotel Desk Clerk

Frank Dawson

As Henry the Butler

James Eagles

As Officer

Edward Earle

As Wreckage Victim

Chester Gan

As Lee Wong

Charley Grapewin

As Pop

Thurston Hall

As Senator from Texas

Sally Harper

As Teenage Student

George Holmes

As Crew Member

Kathleen Howard

As Miss Bromley

Sue Jolley

As Schoolgirl

Florence Lake

As Doris - Jean's Roommate

Peter Leeds

As Shore Police

Trudy Marshall

As Telephone Operator

Leila McIntyre

As Senator's Wife

Betty McKinney

As Schoolgirl

Malcolm 'Bud' McTaggart

As Sailor

Edward McWade

As Crony

James Metcalf

As Undetermined Secondary Role

Hans Moebus

As German Officer

Edmund Mortimer

As Man at Hotel Registration Desk

John Mylong

As Captain of Submarine

Netta Packer

As Mother

Tom Quinn

As Hotel Guest

Otto Reichow

As German Signalman

Lionel Royce

As German Q-Boat Commander

Floyd Shackelford

As Porter

Paul Stanton

As Officer

Charles Tannen

As Seaman Hammond

Ruth Thomas

As Schoolgirl

Sigfrid Tor

As German Soldier

Nicholas Vehr

As Russian Officer

Hans von Morhart

As Y Gun Operator

Minor Watson

As Adm. Bob Stewart

Cecil Weston

As Woman

Bruce Wong

As First Waiter

William Yetter Sr.

As Tanker Lieutenant

Top Crew >

Archie Mayo

Director

Milton Sperling

Producer

Ray Curtiss

Editor

Thomas Little

Set Decoration

Paul S. Fox

Set Decoration

Earl Luick

Costume Design

W.R. Burnett

Story

Darryl F. Zanuck

Executive Producer

Leon Shamroy

Director of Photography

Walter Thompson

Editor

Wiard B. Ihnen

Art Direction

Guy Pearce

Makeup Artist

Jo Swerling

Screenplay

David Buttolph

Music

Richard Day

Art Direction

Reviews:

John Chard (7/10)

Tyrone, Dana and Anne in choppy waters.

Crash Dive is directed by Archie Mayo and written by Jo Swerling and W.R. Burnett. It stars Tyrone Power, Dana Andrews, Anne Baxter, James Gleason, May Whitty and Harry Morgan. A Technicolor production out of 20th Century Fox, music is by David Buttolph and cinematography by Leon Shamroy.

It’s flag waving time, 1943 style as Power and Andrews vie for the love of Baxter whilst conducting a submarine offensive against the Nazis. The love triangle feels twee but Mayo manages to keep it in check and not let it bog this particular sub movie down. When the pic is out on the water it’s grand entertainment, nicely filmed and featuring Oscar winning effects work. Momentum is gradually built until the finale comes and delivers an action packed bonanza. Hooray! 7/10

2014-06-29

CinemaSerf (6/10)

Well I cannot say there is very much original in this wartime pick-me-up that sees Tyrone Power battle the enemy whilst trying to win the gal. That latter battle isn't made any easier by the fact that his superior is also quite keen! "Lt. Stewart" (Power) is a torpedo boat man who, much to his chagrin, is made the XO on the submarine commanded by "Dewey Connors" (Dana Andrews). Just before his first mission aboard, he encounters the charming "Jean" (Anne Baxter) and takes a shine to her, unaware that she is already spoken for. What now ensues is a rather unremarkable romantic drama with precious little at-sea action, that follows the very gently propagandist model of many films made around this time. It's all about feeling good, looking good, and - of course - whooping their foes. That latter part involves a daring raid on a German base that is only going to get further complicated by the all but open hostility between our two rutting stags. Can they put their differences aside and get the job done? It's fine for a studio based drama and if anyone deserves any acting plaudits, it's James Gleason as the gritty and determined "Chief Mac". I love submarine films usually, but this is all just a bit too slushy and, I'm afraid, forgettable.

2023-08-07