A New American Sub Movie

[Grey_Raven75]

I'd love to see a movie made about American subs in WWII that could be equivilant to Das Boot. The last thing we need is another U-571. Rather, a film that really shows the reality of what it was like to sail around the Pacific in a Tambor or Gato at the height of the war. What kind of story do you all think could facilitate that?


P.S. - Personally, I think the XO and Captain at odds story is kind of old. Not that there couldn't be an element of that, but it's been done a lot.

[Platapus]

I honestly don't think this will happen.

I think one of the reasons non-subsim audiences liked Das boot was because of the underlaying political message about the futility of the war effort.

That would be lacking in an American version.

I don't think Hollywood could make a movie about WWII American subs without craping it up. I don't think the audiences would or could appreciate the real life drama without adding Hollydrama to it (coughCrashDivecough).

Besides American Sub patrols from Pearl encompas a lot of boring travel time.

Also, any accurate depiction of American Subs would be rather critical of the military (poor training of the initial Captains, Politically charged torpedo design, Lack of a true submarine strategy at the start of the war). This is probably not the time to have movies pointing out failures of military stratety.

I am probably being overly pessimistic but I just don't see today's hollywood being capable of making a movie about American Subs that we subnuts here would enjoy.

[UglyMowgli]

A remake of Operation Pacific (1951) with John Wayne
A mivie with civilain extractions, dud torpedoes, fighter pilot rescue and a love romance between a submariners and a pilot all in black& white.

[Camaero]

Only an independant could ever give us something close to Das Boot these days.

[Neptunus Rex]

"Clear the Bridge" by RADM Richard O'Kane would get my vote!

Perhaps we could get Ken Burns to do one of his documentary series on the sub wars of WWII.

[Camaero]

Somebody call Wolfgang Peterson and tell him to get back to basics!

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Grey_Raven75

I'd love to see a movie made about American subs in WWII that could be equivilant to Das Boot. The last thing we need is another U-571. Rather, a film that really shows the reality of what it was like to sail around the Pacific in a Tambor or Gato at the height of the war. What kind of story do you all think could facilitate that?


P.S. - Personally, I think the XO and Captain at odds story is kind of old. Not that there couldn't be an element of that, but it's been done a lot.

How about the USS Growler story with Cmdr Gilmore.

I have just found some great old film about the American sub war in the Pacific. Check out the link below. As a bonus, the site also has some full length Hollywood movies but keep that under your hat.

http://stage6.divx.com/WAR-MOVIES/vi...marine-Warfare

Remember! Careless talk costs good movies and Lawyers make a killing!

[Onkel Neal]

The Wahoo story would be perfect.

A bad luck sub, whose conning tower-sleeping skipper is relieved.
A gangly Kentuckian PCO takes command, with a hard-ass XO who everyone thinks is a little crazy.
The skipper institutes an XO on scope, CO overall technique that worries the officers and crew.
They get orders to recon Wewak harbor, and have to use an Aussie school book to make a map.
The crew, who had never had a gung ho skipper before, finds out that to the skipper, recon a harbor means sneak in and sink ships, in 50 feet of water.
Upon entering the harbor, a Japanese DD comes steaming out and the skipper orders a down-the-throat shot... which misses and alerts the DD.
They fire again as the DD bears down on them... do or die here... and miss again.
One last shot and if it misses, game over... and it blows the DD all to hell.

The crew gains confidence. The XO becomes a better leader and officer. The CO keeps everyone cool.



A dark period where, after sinking a Japanese troop ship, the CO's face clouds and he order the gun crews to shoot the swimmers.

Then on to the other patrol, where they sank the whole 5 ship convoy...

Then the CO and XO part, with the XO going to his own boat, and the ill-fated Sea of Japan patrol and the death of an American hero.

This kind of history writes itself.

[bookworm_020]

Sounds like a good idea Neal, you could have the Wahoo moving along on the surface in the sea of Japan, she disappears into a fog bank, nothing is heard for a minute or tow and then a muted explosion, cut to a notice being printed out saying the Wahoo is overdue presumend lost.

[Reaves]

Originally Posted by bookworm_020

Sounds like a good idea Neal, you could have the Wahoo moving along on the surface in the sea of Japan, she disappears into a fog bank, nothing is heard for a minute or tow and then a muted explosion, cut to a notice being printed out saying the Wahoo is overdue presumend lost.

That's actually very good, gives me the same feeling as when we have the minute of silence on rememberance day.

[trainman786]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

The Wahoo story would be perfect.

A bad luck sub, whose conning tower-sleeping skipper is relieved.
A gangly Kentuckian PCO takes command, with a hard-ass XO who everyone thinks is a little crazy.
The skipper institutes an XO on scope, CO overall technique that worries the officers and crew.
They get orders to recon Wewak harbor, and have to use an Aussie school book to make a map.
The crew, who had never had a gung ho skipper before, finds out that to the skipper, recon a harbor means sneak in and sink ships, in 50 feet of water.
Upon entering the harbor, a Japanese DD comes steaming out and the skipper orders a down-the-throat shot... which misses and alerts the DD.
They fire again as the DD bears down on them... do or die here... and miss again.
One last shot and if it misses, game over... and it blows the DD all to hell.

The crew gains confidence. The XO becomes a better leader and officer. The CO keeps everyone cool.



A dark period where, after sinking a Japanese troop ship, the CO's face clouds and he order the gun crews to shoot the swimmers.

Then on to the other patrol, where they sank the whole 5 ship convoy...

Then the CO and XO part, with the XO going to his own boat, and the ill-fated Sea of Japan patrol and the death of an American hero.

This kind of history writes itself.

You forgot the part where, out of torpedoes, the sub skipper decides to take on another destroyer with their deck gun. Then, when the destroyer charges after the sub, the skipper decides that discretion is the better part of valor and sends a message to Pearl Harbor: "Another running gun battle--destroyer gunning, Wahoo running..."

Jim