Run Silent, Run Deep

Brad Dexter, Burt Lancaster, Clark Gable

A movie's lasting value can often be measured by its influence in the years and decades following its original release, and on that basis Run Silent, Run Deep is certainly a classic of sorts...( read more  read more... ). It remains one of the seminal World War II submarine pictures, and its intelligent script and tautly executed action are clearly echoed in such later submarine dramas as Das Boot and especially Crimson Tide, which borrows liberally from this 1958 film.

In one of his best and final roles (he appeared in only four films after this), Clark Gable plays a submarine captain without a command, having been saddled with a desk job after his previous ship was destroyed due to his overzealous pursuit of the enemy in dangerous Japanese waters. He finally gets another boat--this time with a vigilant first officer (Burt Lancaster), who stands poised to assume command if Gable puts his crew in unnecessary danger. The tension and mutual respect between these two principled men is superbly written and directed (Robert Wise was just two years away from his triumph with West Side Story), and the crucial inclusion of a strong supporting cast (including Jack Warden and Don Rickles) enhances the movie's compelling authenticity. Based on a novel by former submarine commander Edward L. Beach, Run Silent, Run Deep is rousing entertainment with the added benefit of paying honorable tribute to the men who navigated through the most frightening and claustrophobic channels of the Pacific theater. --Jeff Shannon

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71% liked it

Unrated, 93 min.

Directed by: Robert Wise

Released: March 27, 1958

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DVD Released: August 15, 2001

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Top Flixster Reviews


  • April 7, 2007
    a run of the mill submarine drama. nowhere near as good as wolfgang petersons "das boot" but still there is some alright acting in it
  • March 12, 2009
    This movie has Gable and Burt in it so you know it's good. The two Hollywood giants have great chemistry, and it's a shame this is their only collaboration together. Gable is a sub captain who is out for revenge against the Japanese Destroyer that sunk his sub the year before. ... ...( read more )
  • February 14, 2008
    Brilliant war movies take get me every time...This does not dissapoint.
  • December 17, 2007
    A classic submarine tale that is clearly influential over modern movies like Crimson Tide. Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster both are excellent in this one.
  • June 9, 2009
    Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)

    It's a cliched submarine war drama, but it's also a good movie and well worth watching. Desk-bound in Hawaii, Commander Richardson (Clark Gable) had his submarine sunk at the infamous Bungo Straights and wants to get another crack at the Akikase dest... ...( read more )

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  • WrellikW
    August 12, 2008
    I like this movie; it has a good cast and good action. It was made when the Navy really promoted themselves in the movies and good movies are what came out of that cooperation. I like this one.

    Take care all,
    William
    Zzzzzzooooommmmm!!!!

    "It is easy to be brave, from a distance." -American Indian Proverb-

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