RUN SILENT RUN DEEP (1958) **1/2 Underwater testosterone title bout in which Burt Lancaster pulls off a stunning upset of Clark Gable. Clark was getting on in years, and the bourbon had taken most of its toll, so while he's intense he never quite smoulders like he could. His performance is good all around, but I'm sorry to say that he's most effective when he's acting ill. There's a pathos about that I guess, but it's probably not what you want to associate with Clark Gable. Burt plays right with him, through that weird antagonistic/respect/subservient buddy thing that can only occur in military flicks. U-boats, you know, submarines, and a formidable foe before they even start in on each other. I like the shots of exploding water a lot, and Robert Wise manages to sustain an entertaining intensity while refusing to deviate from the reality of a group of men stuck together in a big tin box beneath the surface.
back to Brilliant Observations on 1776 Films page, or Index
go back home, or send me email
Reviews won't do it any more! I need sustained brilliance! I want to buy your novel!