The Deep Six (1958)

Touches You

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This story of a Quaker gunnery officer on a Navy destroyer in World War II bears some resemblance to Howard Hawks' "Sergeant York" but not much. Will Allan Ladd manage to overcome his unwillingness to fire at the enemy and save the lives of his shipmates? Well, it seems to be an on-again off-again switch with Ladd, unlike Sergeant York who simply rendered unto Caesar those things that were Caesar's.Ladd's story seems to be laid out according to the numbers. We first get to know him as an interesting guy, introducing his girl friend (who is completely dispensable) to Amer Picon, a Basque liqueur rarely found in America these days.Ladd may be adventurous in his taste for liquor and, for all we know, his taste in women, but he's not anxious to shoot at an unidentified aircraft when they're at sea. The men disparage him. One of the officers, Keenan Wynne, hates him. His only supporter seems to be "Frenchy" Shapiro, an unlikely character played by William Bendix. Bendix was in real life an old friend of Ladd's by this time. The conflict is cleared up during a landing party in the Aleutian Islands, in which Frenchy is killed and Ladd wounded.The script was partly written by Harry Brown who was responsible for some genuinely unusual -- even arty -- dialog in "A Walk In The Sun." But here it's no better than average. The funny banter among the enlisted men is silly rather than funny. The supporting players mostly do their jobs professionally but Ladd himself adds nothing. He was never a bravura performer and no one expects him to be. But he was doing a lot of booze and barbiturates during this period and although he was only in his 40s he looked puffy eyed and creaky. There's a terrible scene towards the end, when he and Bendix are being brought back to the ship in a lifeboat. Bendix dies in his arms and Ladd can't quite grasp the fact. He goes on mumbling to the dead body and when told that Bendix is gone, he says aloud, "Frenchy? Dead?" And he doesn't sound dazed with pain or shock. He sounds plastered.It's a little painful to watch Ladd walk his way through this routine script because, given a certain undemanding kind of role, he could be quite good. But everything seems to jar in this film. Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians has never seen bright, sunny weather like this. Even the model work in "Destination Tokyo" went to the trouble of simulating the cold and the dreary fog.I guess the message is supposed to be that some things are worth killing for. But, in the worst moment of the film, the hortative notion goes beyond that -- somewhere into the realm of "killing others is fun." Ladd and Bendix are making their escape from a Japanese-held island. Most of the enemy patrol is killed, but one wounded Japanese soldier wanders out into the open, a few feet away. Bendix raises his Tommy gun, then hesitates, grins, nudges Ladd and gestures that Ladd should have the privilege and fun of shooting and killing a wounded enemy. Killing wounded enemy soldiers and airmen was routine on both sides in the Pacific theater, but turning it into the equivalent of an amusement park ride is something else.

This film is quite good. The romance element quickly gives way to an interesting story of World War 11 where Alan Ladd's Quaker faith is put to test in battle.As Frenchy Shapiro, William Bendix etched an unforgettable character. He uses Yiddish expressions interchangeably and gives a robust comic and dramatic performances. His facial expressions and comic timing were very similar to what he gave us in the memorable television series Life of Riley.Keenan Wynn plays a bigoted naval officer who harbors a major secret. James Whitmore, always excellent in war pictures, is rather subdued here as a naval commander.This is a story of the human spirit, bravery and a spirit that got us through the war years.

The very subject of the movie eludes the director.The movie looks like some kind of cross between "Friendly Persuasion" (Wyler)and "the Caine Mutiny" (Dmytryk) Like Anthony Perkins in Wyler's movie,Alan Ladd's mom is a quaker and he was brought up that way and carefully taught;unfortunately he does not know where he stands anymore and whether he should or should not kill.Which is not that easy when you are in the navy.The lieutenant Commander,portrayed by Keenan Wynn ,recalls sometimes Humphrey Bogart in "the Caine Mutiny" ,(and also Richard Dix in Robson's "the ghost ship" )with his obsession with authority -he began his career as a private whereas Ladd went to college and became a reserve officer-Too bad the character is underwritten.The best does not come,IMHO,from the main plot ,but from the subplots:Frenchy,his missus and his Edith we get to know in a way,is an endearing character ,well played by William Bendix;the death of the two children's father is told with a great simplicity ,avoiding the maudlin side of melodrama;Private Aaron provides the comic relief with his numerous Armenian cousins;and there's a good scene between the Navy and the merchant marine about a jukebox.

The cast turned up just to collect a paycheck, which is a shame, because it is a fine collection of actors. However this movie is representative of tired scripting and even worse, tired and uninspired directing. Alan Ladd looks almost embarrassed on occasions to be associated with this turkey. This film is only worthwhile to make you appreciate when you see a quality movie of the genre.BEVARE (sorry Bela) watch this stinker at your own risk.