Crash Dive (1943)

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Beautiful, moving film.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Taken from a story written by W.R. Burnett, this Navy yarn was directed by Archie Mayo. Typical Navy tale for War films of this sort were routinely produced during the 40's. It involves the standard war time plot of two men falling for the same woman. In this case we have our devilishly handsome officer Tyrone Power playing Lt. Ward Stewart who has a definite wartime preference for P.T.Boats and considers them the undependable heart of the U.S. Naval fleet. Unfortunately, he is being reassigned to Submarine duty with a stern commander, namely Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Connors (Dane Andrewa) as the ships's Captain. As per the formula scripts of the war-time era, the two men are in love with the same beautiful leading lady Jean Hewlett (Anne Baxter) and want to marry her. Although both find time to woe her, they also deal with war time problems, namely the enemy. Hazzards abound in the deadly seas they patrol, so much so it doesn't seem likely the officers will survive. The movie becomes standard stuff and because it's filled with guns, bombs and exciting situations, it promises to be interesting. Once that is accepted, the movie is good War-time exciting fun and could lead to you buying some war bonds after the show. If one is a fan of the two leading me, this becomes good entertainment. Nuff said, especially with additional cast members like James Gleason and Harry Morgan. Recommend for the patriotic crowd. ****

I nearly put the switch on off in the first five minutes then giving it an honest chance i found myself interested in CRASH DIVE. Special effects were awesome just as the ones in SO PROUDLY WE HAIL...that same year.The acting cant get any better Tyronne Power and DANA ANDREWS two top notch Fox actors. James Gleason true to himself a genuine pro. Unfortunately i don't feel anything for Anne Baxter...there is something about her wooden acting that bothers me..although she was great in ALL ABOUT EVE. I would have given the role of Jean to either Paulette Goddard....Gene Tierney or Gail Russell. The movie kept me captivated till the very end and i found myself wondering who would come back to Anne Baxter alive. And i don't care what people think.....Tyrone Powers looks has never been surpassed...not even todays Pitt..CRUISE....etc.

Tyrone Power's last film before going to war was this World War II epic which co-starred him with Dana Andrews and Anne Baxter and a good cast of supporting players. This did win an Oscar for Special Effects with the raid on the Nazi Submarine base.And that's what makes this thing so stupid. Where was that base? Given what World War II vintage subs could do in performance, that base had to be Block Island, Martha's Vineyard or at worst, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. You're asked to believe that the Nazis constructed a secret submarine base somewhere on some mythical isle in the Atlantic. These guys went off on some short cruise from New London to find this base. Just where were the Nazis operating?Tyrone Power must have laughed himself silly every time he thought of this one. Especially in the South Pacific where served with the Marines in several major Pacific campaigns. At his funeral, there was a Marine honor guard as would befit a retired Major.The rest of the story is your standard triangle the kind Power played in with Don Ameche during peacetime in the 30s. Except that here, the Ameche part was played by Dana Andrews.One positive note. Black actor Ben Carter played a cook in the submarine galley and he's shown in an actual combat mission. It was an unusual role for a black actor to play at that time and I think he played it well. Some racial stereotyping, but his concern and affection for James Gleason who was the CPO on the submarine was real and rang true.

I was working at Wright-Patterson Airforce Base during the war, and I saw this movie three times. As a young gal, I was enthralled with Tyrone Powers and Dana Andrews in their handsome uniforms. I was in the purchasing department at Wright. I worked for Col. McAlpin.