SHARKS AND LITTLE FISH – 1957
This is one of the first of the war films that came out of Germany after World War Two. It follows four young navy ratings fresh out of training. The four, Hanjorg Felmey, Horst Frank, Ernest Rienhold and Thomas Braut are assigned to a small coastal minesweeper. They spend their days clearing mines so that the merchant ships can carry cargo to the German Forces in Norway.
Most of the time, this duty is nothing but sheer boredom. But every once in a while things start hopping when the ships are attacked by British Coastal Command torpedo bombers. This drives home just what war is when several of the crew are killed.
Of course there is also time off in port where the boys make the rounds of the bars and brothels. The one lad, Felmey, falls hard for the wife of his ship's Captain. Needless to say this goes nowhere fast.
Out on a mission the ship is sank out from underneath them in a massive air attack. Most of the crew is lost and the survivors are picked up by a U-Boat. After a spot of leave, the four are sent to France to join the U-Boat fleet.
The war by this time is going badly for Germany. One by one the boys are killed off with only one seeing the end of the war alive.
An excellent war film with plenty of German shot combat footage used throughout. The footage of the air attack by Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers is fantastic. Watching the planes come in at mast high level as they attack the ships is amazing.
I also recommend the director, Frank Wisbar's Stalingrad film from 1959, DOGS, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER.
This is one of the first of the war films that came out of Germany after World War Two. It follows four young navy ratings fresh out of training. The four, Hanjorg Felmey, Horst Frank, Ernest Rienhold and Thomas Braut are assigned to a small coastal minesweeper. They spend their days clearing mines so that the merchant ships can carry cargo to the German Forces in Norway.
Most of the time, this duty is nothing but sheer boredom. But every once in a while things start hopping when the ships are attacked by British Coastal Command torpedo bombers. This drives home just what war is when several of the crew are killed.
Of course there is also time off in port where the boys make the rounds of the bars and brothels. The one lad, Felmey, falls hard for the wife of his ship's Captain. Needless to say this goes nowhere fast.
Out on a mission the ship is sank out from underneath them in a massive air attack. Most of the crew is lost and the survivors are picked up by a U-Boat. After a spot of leave, the four are sent to France to join the U-Boat fleet.
The war by this time is going badly for Germany. One by one the boys are killed off with only one seeing the end of the war alive.
An excellent war film with plenty of German shot combat footage used throughout. The footage of the air attack by Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers is fantastic. Watching the planes come in at mast high level as they attack the ships is amazing.
I also recommend the director, Frank Wisbar's Stalingrad film from 1959, DOGS, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER.