OK, so this was made during the Eisenhower era, the first Republican President in 20 years. It is set during the Roosevelt years and stars a Republican actor who was once a democrat and the Republican actress who changed the mind and politics of a future president. This is one of half a dozen films where Reagan is often featured in clips, and simply because it co-stars his future first lady, Nancy Davis. Can you just say no to this team who gained more attention than any other famous screen couple in history? I can't!
The film is simply just your traditional war action film, about a submarine commando attempting to block Japanese ships from getting supplies through. It's no better than most B movies made in the war era, let alone the decade after. Reagan could on occasion give a more than memorable performance, but most of the time, he seemed to just be playing himself: a good natured guy in either comical or dramatic romantic situations, and on occasion, involved in war, often I'm danger or involved in some bizarre adventure.
I wonder if the woman in "Airplane!" who indicated that she hasn't felt that sick since she had seen a Ronald Reagan movie was referring to this one. You have to wait 20 minutes for r Nancy to make her entrance, and she's pretty decent if unremarkable as an actress, attractive but not a complete looker (more like a 1950's TV sitcom mom without the humor), and not really magnetic. Her story-line is minimal, involved in a conflict between Reagan and a lieutenant who sleeps with her picture, causing conflict. In other words, inconsequential.
The real action happens out at sea, showing the dangers of their mission and being on a submarine in general. There are some very tense moments, but in spite of his sincerity, it's hard to forget that you're watching the most powerful man of the 1980's world commanding a submarine. The tension aboard the ship on its way to its secret mission does take the film up a notch, and if you're savvy at understanding naval lingo, that might increase your enjoyment of the film. But for the most part, it's more of the same among the hundreds of films made on similar topics from the early 40's on, the only difference being that this coming 12 years after the war ended, it could reveal things that during the war were obvious military secrets.
The film is simply just your traditional war action film, about a submarine commando attempting to block Japanese ships from getting supplies through. It's no better than most B movies made in the war era, let alone the decade after. Reagan could on occasion give a more than memorable performance, but most of the time, he seemed to just be playing himself: a good natured guy in either comical or dramatic romantic situations, and on occasion, involved in war, often I'm danger or involved in some bizarre adventure.
I wonder if the woman in "Airplane!" who indicated that she hasn't felt that sick since she had seen a Ronald Reagan movie was referring to this one. You have to wait 20 minutes for r Nancy to make her entrance, and she's pretty decent if unremarkable as an actress, attractive but not a complete looker (more like a 1950's TV sitcom mom without the humor), and not really magnetic. Her story-line is minimal, involved in a conflict between Reagan and a lieutenant who sleeps with her picture, causing conflict. In other words, inconsequential.
The real action happens out at sea, showing the dangers of their mission and being on a submarine in general. There are some very tense moments, but in spite of his sincerity, it's hard to forget that you're watching the most powerful man of the 1980's world commanding a submarine. The tension aboard the ship on its way to its secret mission does take the film up a notch, and if you're savvy at understanding naval lingo, that might increase your enjoyment of the film. But for the most part, it's more of the same among the hundreds of films made on similar topics from the early 40's on, the only difference being that this coming 12 years after the war ended, it could reveal things that during the war were obvious military secrets.