what were The Old Men thinking?

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by VONHARRIS

Taking into account the title of this thread I would like to put an other issue on the table.
After the initial attack on the convoy , the DCs that rocked the boat they finally surface next to that blazing tanker.
Why do they waste an other torpedo at a stationary undefented target instead of using the deck gun?

Because by using a torpedo, they were able to shoot the entire scene indoors on a soundstage with a mock-up of just the bridge and half a dozen guys standing on it looking at a screen with previously-shot footage of a burning model tanker while people off-camera fanned smoke in their general direction and held up mirrors reflecting fiery light onto their faces so it looked like they were bathed in the glow from a nearby burning ship... instead of having to create a mock-up of the entire deck of the u-boat and film a whole bunch more guys manning and firing a gun, with all the special effects necessary to make it look like they were in fact firing shells at a burning ship that only existed on a huge screen a few feet away.

And also IMO because in terms of how that scene works emotionally for the characters (and thus the audience), or at least was meant to work. The emotional impact comes from the fact that the torpedo has been fired and has hit, it's a done deal, and *now* they realize that the survivors are still aboard and there is no hope for them because it's not like they can take back that torpedo or make the hit any less critical. It's not like the deck gun where they might've fired one or two shots and then seen survivors on board and - what? Stopped firing even though the ship was still afloat? Well, then it doesn't have the same kind of emotional punch and doesn't set you up for some of the tense interactions that follow. Or they keep firing anyway and then it looks like they're a bunch of heartless bastids and suddenly the audience is no longer able to sympathize with your protagonists. What they have to do in combat to get the job done and stay within their orders is terrible and gutwrenching enough without crossing that line.