Who is your favorite Sub movie Captain?

[merc4ulfate]

Jürgen Prochnow - Das Boot
Burt Lancaster - Run Silent Run Deep
Gregory Peck - On the Beach

[Aramike]

Really? No one for Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide? Sure, he was willing to start WWIII, but that takes balls, man!

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

Curt Jurgens, Clark Gable and Sean Connery

'We shall lie off their largesht ****y! While they lishten to their rock and roll, we shall conduct misshile drillsh!'

Nope, Clark first; A submarine is an offensive weapon and Gable portrays this in addition to the totally useful tactic he employs in the movie and which any subsimmer must master: the headon shot at close range against an overzealous escort and the eel shot under a screening vessal of shallower depth. Jurgens and Ramius portray the passive and evasive side correctly but that is not a course de guerre sub's primary function except as it enables the vessal to approach or escape to perform that offensive action against the enemy's commerce. Doenitz agrees with me!

[conus00]

As long as we are not judging quality of the movies themselves:
Capts. Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) and Capt. Mikhail Polenin (Liam Neeson) from K-19

I saw Phantom last night and think that Ed Harris did decent job as Demi.

[grislyatoms]

"Shome thingsh in here do not react well to bulletsh". Well done, by Sean Connery.

Scott Glenn's portrayal of Bart Mancuso was/is *exactly* how I imagine sub skippers to be. Smart, wiley, no-nonsense with a dry sense of humor and recognizes excellence from his crew. (I.E. when Jonesy figures out how to detect/track Red October)
"Now if that bastard so much as twitches, I'm going to blow him right to Mars."
"My morse is so rusty I may be sending him dimensions on Playmate of the month."

Jurgen Prochnow did excellent work in Das Boot.

[grislyatoms]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

Curt Jurgens, Clark Gable and Sean Connery

'We shall lie off their largesht ****y! While they lishten to their rock and roll, we shall conduct misshile drillsh!'

Classic!

[c13Garrison]

Griz, you hit on exactly why I like Scott Glenn's captain. I even like how he bellows, "Down ladder! Make a hole!" There's an absolutely marvellous no-nonsense in his tone. And then the scene where one instant he hands Rameus his side arm, and then an instant later he's in command again- "You! You speak English?!" "Yes sir!" "Then get over here and si'down!"

His scenes only amount to 12 min or so of screen-time, but I'd watch it just for those 12 minutes.

[grislyatoms]

"And then the scene where one instant he hands Rameus his side arm, and then an instant later he's in command again- "You! You speak English?!" "Yes sir!" "Then get over here and si'down!"

That was a great scene! Also the way he looks at Ramius (with obvious respect) while telling Ryan, "Combat tactics, Mr. Ryan. The Capt. closed the distance before the torpedo could arm itself."

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by grislyatoms

Scott Glenn's portrayal of Bart Mancuso was/is *exactly* how I imagine sub skippers to be. Smart, wiley, no-nonsense with a dry sense of humor and recognizes excellence from his crew. (I.E. when Jonesy figures out how to detect/track Red October)
"Now if that bastard so much as twitches, I'm going to blow him right to Mars."
"My morse is so rusty I may be sending him dimensions on Playmate of the month."

I really like Scott Glenn in that role. He did a great job.

And Alec Baldwin will always be Jack Ryan to me...Harrison Ford...just.... NO!

Ben Affleck? You must be joking! He's a great actor...but he isn't Jack Ryan.

Next, they'll have Dwayne Johnson play John Clark and I'll be the one in the movie theater to jump up and run out screaming.

*realize that I'm on a rant* *steps down off soap box*

Scott Glenn nailed it.

[cdrsubron7]

I'll echo the sentiments for Clark Gable and Sean Connery.

I would give honorable mention to John Wayne and Glenn Ford.

[Rammstein0991]

Prochnow hands down

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by Gunsilnger

I like Matthew Mchaunihey's character in U-571
"YOU FIRE NOW OR WE ALL DIE!!"

Bill Paxton was also great in that one

We don't take kindly to that movie in these here parts boy

[Bubblehead1980]

Originally Posted by Aramike

Really? No one for Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide? Sure, he was willing to start WWIII, but that takes balls, man!

Hackman and Washington's performances were top notch in that movie.The scene where he questions the Captain and finally has COB remove him, just intense and priceless.

[DeepSixNiner]

George Dzundza gets my vote for the best "Chief of the Boat" in any movie for his portrayal of the COB in Crimson Tide. Now THAT guy had BALLS!

Cheers

[Hinrich Schwab]

Originally Posted by Aramike

Really? No one for Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide? Sure, he was willing to start WWIII, but that takes balls, man!

Hackman is a great actor and the Captain Ramsey character was interesting, but Captain Ramsey was a rather poor sub skipper. His draconic style is not what the submarine service exemplifies from its COs. The USS Florida had a similar CO in the late 1990's who was relieved for acting in a manner portrayed by Ramsey. Some of Ramsey's actions in the movie were reprehensible, as well. Specifically, holding one of his own crewmen hostage at gunpoint threatening execution to force LT. Ince (WEPS) to release the tactical firing trigger for the nukes. As an admiral, I would have broken Ramsey six ways from Sunday for that stunt alone.

As far as good movie skippers, Jürgen Prochnow's Lehman-Willenbrock, Scott Glenn's Bart Mancuso and Burt Lancaster's Bledsoe are better examples. Although U-571 sucked and is only good for raw entertainment value or a "sub movie" fix, Paxton's Dahlgren was refreshingly believable, if a bit too straight-laced.