"Das Boot" vs. "The Enemy Below"

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Karl Heidenreich
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"Das Boot" vs. "The Enemy Below"

Post by Karl Heidenreich »

There is no question about Petersen´s "Das Boot" being technical impecable film. And there is no question that it is a cinematographic master piece too.
But in comparison with "The Enemy Below" we can find that, as a war epic and a naval drama, "The Enemy Below" runs more than the German movie.
"Das Boot" in it´s effort of being objective and trying to go deep into the character´s psicology results in a chaotic atmosphere. The characters are bucolic, extremely sad, even motionless. In "The Enemy..." we have more motivated characters, even with a captain that directly oposses the German Nazi Regime!
If a political statement has to be done then a single act of the German U-Boat captain at "The Enemy" is enough when, instead, in "Das Boot" we need minute after minute of Prochnow´s speeches. In "The Enemy" the scenes were the captain is opossed to a nazi officer there are even funny situations that depicts more clearly the contrast. In "Das Boot" it appears that instead of a submarine the crew inhabits Dracula´s castle.
In "The Enemy" the Germans had a mission (as in real life they had), they are brave, efficient, dynamic and motivated warriors leaded by a captain that is both human and caring for his crew (that he regards as his friends). We see the Germans fighting back, launching torpedoes and firing their mount against a much bigger and powerfull enemy. We see the Germans even putting a fish in the American destroyer (in the novel I believe it was a British destroyer). In "Das Boot" the U-Boat crew only concern is to run away from the destroyer. And when finally they put a fish in a merchant ship we have this scene of officers crying all around.
I repeat, "Das Boot" is a very good movie that tries to depict one of the dark hours of German History, but in that attempt it falls into a quagimare that doesn´t allows the movie to go beyond a sad documentary. From the beggining of the movie we knew that the sub is going to be sunk and the captain would die. Realistical? Maybe. But "The Enemy" is also realistical depicting why the U-Boats were the wolfs that haunted the Atlantic. And another thing else: we have the allied characters and, very important, we can see a real Buckley Class Destroyer Escort.
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George Roumbos
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Post by George Roumbos »

Hello Karl

Good points you got there, but just a few of my thoughts on the subject:

In "Das Boot", during racing towards the convoy position, they come accross a DD, the captain orders to dive and initiates attack procedures against the DD, reaching the point of opening bow caps... I think this constitutes an attack move on the DD and not running away from it.

The detail of the u-boat interior and exterior, the accuracy on uniforms, equipment, even dishes etc is such that compared with the US-like u-boat on the "Enemy Below" and rest of details, makes "Das Boot" a far supperior flick.

Of course, about 25 years of filming evolution sepperates the 2 moovies, so in a sence the "Enemy Below" was (and still is) a fascinating moovie with a well writen scenario, very good plot and a pair of actors un-matched (Kurt Jurgens as the u-boat skipper, and Robert Michum as the DD Skipper).
You have the main characteristicks off the Atlantic war in one moovie, the hunter becomes the hunted and vice versa, the u-boat is pressed beneath the waves and becomes the hunted, but at the same time it still is a formidable weapon and manages to "put" a fish on the DDs' belly, becoming the hunter again...
As I said, a very good moovie indeed...

"Das Boot" is very much closer to the real conditions of naval warfare during WWII in the Atlantic. A few months ago I was in Germany talking with a u-boat veteran from the crew of U-99, ha was very close friends with the skipper of U-99, the famus "silent Otto", Otto Kretschmer. Among other things, we talked about "Das Boot" and I asked for his opinoin on the moovie, he answered that both him and Kretschmer thought that it was as close as it can get to the real thing, I think that tells alot about the moovie.

By the way, can you identify the song wich is sung in the "Enemy Below" in English? There was a discussion years ago in the u-boat net forum about this, but I forgott the out come :oops:

Take care,

George
"Ich lasse mir doch mein Schiff nicht unter dem Arsch wegschiessen. Feuererlaubnis !"

George "tango-echo" Roumbos, Hellas

www.emioannina.gr
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Karl Heidenreich
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Post by Karl Heidenreich »

Hi George!

As I stated before I believe that "Das Boot" is a technical impecable movie and a masterwork in cinematographic terms. My argument focus on the perception of the film. I agree with you that there are a couple of scenes in "Das Boot" where there is some excitement and that Mr. Prochnow decides to attack a DD in the middle of a storm. There are other good moments too, as when the U-Boat arrives at Spain and the crew meet a German merchant ship´s officers; also when they sing "Tipperary", that´s great! :lol:
But even, as a human speech, when we heard them both, Mitchum as the DE skipper and Jurgens as the U-Boat commander, "The Enemy Below" doesn´t need much time before leaving behind "Das Boot". Agreed, those years between the two movies are seen in the screen as a contrast: an antiseptic, clean U-Boat with an average age crew against the hard reality of a pig-boat: grease, smells, dirt and oil all over the place and the waiting, the boredom expecting orders or getting ready to do the smart move... and the teenagers that really manned those vessels. Agreed.
So, then, as a personal criteria, the bucolic "Das Boot" is no match for the dynamic and philosophical focused "Enemy Below".
About the song I always believed that it was a Hollywood creation. I will look at the movie database IMDB for the movie´s composer and research a bit on it.
Best regards!
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George Roumbos
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Post by George Roumbos »

Hello Karl !

Yes, we agree in a lot about both moovies, the "timperary" scene one of the most enjoyable :D
That really got the IWO by surprice :shock:

Take care,

George
"Ich lasse mir doch mein Schiff nicht unter dem Arsch wegschiessen. Feuererlaubnis !"

George "tango-echo" Roumbos, Hellas

www.emioannina.gr
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