Movie: U47 - Kapitänleutnant Prien

AntEater · 12-14-07, 01:49 PM

As the IMDB review said, it is not "das Boot", but quite ok, at least regarding the combat scene.
The sub plot with the resistance minister is simply added for PC reasons, I suppose.
It is not so far from the truth, as one of germany's leading resistance men was Pastor Niemöller, a WW1 submarine captain.
Almost the same story happened in reality with the catholic church and fighter ace Werner Mölders.
Apart from that, the movie is safely comparable with black/white US submarine movies of the same era. A good solid war movie, but nothing special.
Acutally most of the "action" shots are from wartime movies (propaganda or not) "recycled" for a more PC 1950s version. So you have genuine VIICs, even when there was none available in 1950s Germany. U 995 was in service with the Norwegians back then but she looked totally different, as a snorkel boat without guns.
I am not sure wether they maybe used the spanish VIIC (which was scrapped in the 70s!) for exterior shots.

SPOILER ALERT!

The end takes a bit of creative license, though, as Prien is taken prisoner by an english warship that sank U 47, only to be sunk again by his old IWO. I remembered he was named Endrass in the movie as well, but IMDB says otherwise.
The former IWO's boat then gets immidiately sunk by aircraft, leaving no witnesses to that tragedy.

12-14-07, 01:49 PM	#5
AntEater Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 936 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	As the IMDB review said, it is not "das Boot", but quite ok, at least regarding the combat scene. The sub plot with the resistance minister is simply added for PC reasons, I suppose. It is not so far from the truth, as one of germany's leading resistance men was Pastor Niemöller, a WW1 submarine captain. Almost the same story happened in reality with the catholic church and fighter ace Werner Mölders. Apart from that, the movie is safely comparable with black/white US submarine movies of the same era. A good solid war movie, but nothing special. Acutally most of the "action" shots are from wartime movies (propaganda or not) "recycled" for a more PC 1950s version. So you have genuine VIICs, even when there was none available in 1950s Germany. U 995 was in service with the Norwegians back then but she looked totally different, as a snorkel boat without guns. I am not sure wether they maybe used the spanish VIIC (which was scrapped in the 70s!) for exterior shots. SPOILER ALERT! The end takes a bit of creative license, though, as Prien is taken prisoner by an english warship that sank U 47, only to be sunk again by his old IWO. I remembered he was named Endrass in the movie as well, but IMDB says otherwise. The former IWO's boat then gets immidiately sunk by aircraft, leaving no witnesses to that tragedy. __________________