The USS Haynes was a US Destroyer on patrol in the South Atlantic when it caught sight of something. It turned out to be a German U-Boat. Though a one-on-one battle between a destroyer and a U-boat isn't generally advisable, Captain Murrell (Robert Mitchum) ordered a pursuit. Aboard the U-boat, Captain Von Stolberg (Curt Jurgens) had little interest in tangling with the American ship. He was on a mission to Argentina to retrieve intelligence. As such, he submerged and waited for the destroyer to move on after a desultory bombardment of depth charges. He changed his course temporarily and then resumed his original course. Murrell had already guessed that the German was bound for some rendezvous and used that hunch to continue the chase. While the destroyer launched barrages of depth charges, the U-boat surfaced briefly to launch torpedoes. A thrilling duel at sea! It is a game of chess between to skilled commanders.
As usual, Mitchum makes for an engaging lead. He is one of those actors who could deliver lines without effort and still be terrific. It is unclear if he ever really acted, or just arrived on set as Robert Mitchum with an alias. David Hedison plays Lt. Ware, the executive officer on the Haynes. This was great preparation for his eventual role as Captain Crain in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Where Mitchum has this look of world-weariness and maybe a case of insomnia, Hedison is chipper and optimistic. Also of note, Doug McClure has a small role as Ensign Merry. This was one of his first movie roles. Curd Jurgens made a career of playing German officers from WWII, though I best remember him as the Bond villain from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). Where Mitchum had Hedison, Jurgens' captain had the support of Schwaffer (Theodore Bikel). To make Von Stolberg more sympathetic, he is shown to be a loyal German who is not keen on the Nazi party, even bumping heads with the political officer on the ship. Yes, if not for the war, Murrell and Von Stolberg could be friends.
Good popcorn fun. Recommended.
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