GManfred Well-done war picture featuring two giants of the screen, Gable and Lancaster. This one is a story about a submarine crew and the battle of wits between its two top officers. Gable has asked for a second chance to command his own sub after a disaster which got him a desk job. He gets his wish, and is given Lancaster's sub, which naturally causes friction and bad blood between the two.They head for the Bungo Straits, a graveyard for American subs near the Japanese coast, so that Gable can prove himself again, or so it seems. Lots of suspense as Japanese destroyers and battleships hover near or over the sub, and Director Wise and a veteran cast of supporting actors put the story over just the way it used to be done in Hollywood. The cast also has Don Rickles in his first movie acting job. "Run Silent" is one of the better WWII action dramas to come out of Hollywood.

classicsoncall Director Robert Wise opted to create his sets using the actual dimensions of a real submarine, an idea that helped one visualize the close, claustrophobic quarters naval men were subjected to while living and working under water. Keeping that in mind, it seemed to me that some scenes might have diverted from that formula, but in general one gets an idea how cramped the quarters would have been on the USS Nerka.Virtually every submarine film one is liable to watch has elements that make the picture intense and exciting. The 1981 film "Das Boot" is probably the best of the genre, and you get a pretty good adrenaline rush with 1990's "The Hunt for Red October". This one has it's moments when Lieutenant Jim Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster) goes up against Commander 'Rich' Richardson (Clark Gable); the senior officer received the assignment after spending a year at a desk job when an earlier sub he commanded was destroyed by a Japanese naval ship. So right off the bat there's a degree of tension between the two men, especially after the Nerka's crew fully expected Bledsoe to get the job.The thing that kept nagging me about the story was Richardson's willingness to directly defy the orders of naval superiors to avoid sailing into the Bungo Straits off the coast of Japan. I didn't think that plot element was effectively dealt with, although I don't know how one would recall a renegade submarine captain once he was out in the middle of the ocean. The ending of the story probably dealt with that issue well enough by having Richardson buried at sea.The most disturbing factor the story dealt with, and I wouldn't know if it ever happened for real, was when Commander Richardson ordered three dead sailors to be evacuated along with ship debris by means of the torpedo tubes. As inhumane as that sounds, it was an effective stratagem to convince the Japanese commander that the sub was destroyed. The business about repeated drills to attack the bow of an enemy ship at the beginning of the mission seemed credible enough until you get a look at how difficult that would actually have been. Not much margin for error there, which makes me question if even the most experienced submarine captain could pull it off.

John T. Ryan THIS IS A FINE example of a great story about World War II which was produced after the coming of both V E Day and V J Day.* We beg to make the distinction between a war picture's classification being done, not just purely on the basis of its chronology; but also because of the circumstances that exist at the times. Therefore, a movie made during the time while the hostilities were on, will of necessity be much more content which is intended to be pro-Allied propaganda.** JUST SCREENING ONE of those films made years after the War's end, one can readily see that there is a greater concentration of objectivity than those made in the years of 1939-45. That's not to say that we weren't aware of the nature of the struggle and just who were the enemies. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan comprised the Axis Powers and along with some minor puppet state allies, they were the enemy.SUCH A STORY THAT is portrayed in this film, today's lucky 'victim', RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP, has the luxury of examining certain other aspects of the military. Just because we are at War, it does not mean hat there are not serious disagreements at the policy making levels and even in the various Theaters of War and in the Battlefield itself. Personal opinion and pride may well be sublimated, but they are still there, under the surface (just like a Submarine).OUR STORY REVOLVES around the aging skipper (Clark Gable) taking it upon himself to change the mission's orders, allowing himself to in a sense, redeem his own previous unsuccessful actions in the same region of the Pacific. In the pursuit of his vindication, he becomes entangled in a dispute with his Executive Officer (Burt Lancaster) and the controversy nearly ends up in tragedy.BUT LUCKILY, ALL'S well that ends well as the sub manages to both complete its objectives and give the Captain of the ship his vengeance on the enemy who cost him hi last command.THE SKIPPER DOES not live out the tour of duty and dies and is buried at sea, along with what could otherwise have been the grounds for a Court Martial.AS WE'VE ALREADY stated, this is one of our favorite War films of that period. A great cast, including a young Don Rickles and perpetual screen Non-commissioned Officer, or "Non-com", Jack Warden.JUST HAVING BEEN viewed once again after some years, we found this to alive, fast paced and fully feathered of a war picture.NOTE: * These are Wartime terms from the middle 1940s. "VE Day" refers to "Victory in Europe"; whereas "VJ Day" referred to "Victory over Japan.NOTE ** This use of 'propaganda' may seem strange to many; as it usually does have a negative connotation, being the enemy's tool of untruths. It is, however, perfectly legit and refers to any efforts to advance one's own cause and maintain a high level of morale on our side.

Matthew_Capitano Pretty good war film with a fine performance by Clark Gable as 'Captain Richardson' who heads for a forbidden target position called the Bunghole Straits. Also appearing in an uncredited role is excellent actor John Gibson as 'Captain Blunt' who near the beginning of the film tells Lancaster that he'll have to wait for a command.When Richardson receives a new sub, he heads his ship for the Bunghole Straits to try and take on the Japanese on his own terms. Burt Lancaster and Don Rickles are in the cast. Rickles is a humorous presence even when he's not trying to be humorous. Good action and suspense with the usual dramatic subplot of crew jealousy involving who should get command of what.Gable and Gibson are the stars here. One of the better war films, this one is set almost entirely on the submarine.To the Bunghole Straits!