Torpedo Run (1958) User Reviews

Old Fahioned Which Isn't A Bad Thing For Brits

[Theo Robertson · 6/10 · 1 March 2014]

This is one of these films that we don't get nowadays and hasn't been produced for decades . Hardly surprising since 1945 only two submarines have killed ships in conflict . The first one being the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor that sunk the Indian frigate INS Khukri in the 1971 India - Pakistan war and the last time was the Argentine Cruiser The General Belgrano being sunk by HMS Conqueror in the 1982 Falklands War . On top of the 1981 movie DAS BOOT has got to be the last word on this sub genre of war movie . It's very easy to express tension in these type of movies , of having silent routine as enemy ships patrol over head dropping depth charges and have close ups of submarine crewmen with beads of sweat slowly dripping down there foreheads but DAS BOOT did this type of drama so effectively and so vividly any successor would be a very pale imitation

TORPEDO RUN on its own merits isn't a bad film . It doesn't break any new ground but follows the formula rather well . Like so many other films especially American war films there's a fair bit of artistic licence used such as no American submarine actually penetrated the Tokyo harbour during the war and the mega massive Japanese aircraft carrier is an invention for the film . There is a slightly annoying aspect and that is many of the model shots look unconvincing but this is common problem seeing as scale involving fire and water are impossible to achieve on screen and even DAS BOOT suffered slightly from this

One thing the film does deserve great credit for is the British character Lt Redley played by Robert Hardy . All too often recent American productions such as SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and BAND OF BROTHERS portray the Brits as either amateurish buffoons needing rescuing by the tough , brave and resourceful Americans or make an already bad situation much worse leaving the hard pressed Americans to pick up the pieces while the British stop to drink some tea . Here we see Redley put forward a suggestion that gets the crew out of a very tight spot . Nice to see the war shown as a joint effort amongst allies who had a mutual respect for one another

Suspenseful WWII sea epic in which an American submarine chases a Japanese aircraft carrier

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 30 January 2018]

In 1942, the commander of the submarine USS Grayfish, Barney Doyle (Glenn Ford) commands a motley crew such as : Lt. Jake 'Fuzz' Foley (Dean Jones) , 'Hash' Benson (L.Q. Jones) , Lt. Redley (Robert Hardy) , Lt. Burt Fisher (Paul Picerni) and especially the second-in command Lt. Archer 'Archie' Sloan (Ernest Borgnine) with whom Barney has a special relationship . Doyle is a stiff captain who plans to sink a Japanese carrier . As their main target is the Japanese aircraft Akagi, which led the attack on Pearl Harbor. But there is a freighter in the way , and on board are his wife and child . Doyle is tormented by the fact that his spouse and baby daughter were taken prisoner when the Japanese invaded the Philippines and he has no word from them for almost 10 months . They're really prisoners of the Japs and whom we have grown to love in flashbacks . Shortly after , Barney is overjoyed when reliable sources confirm that they are alive . There was good reason for the Japanese to let him know however : all of the civilians are being transported to Japan . At the end takes place the confrontation and square off in the Pacific Ocean and Tokyo bay .

Standards submarine melodramatics about an US submarine that must torpedo a Japanese carrier which holds some of the crews family members . Glenn Ford gives a good acting as an able ship's captain well respected by his men and effective at sea , who pursues the ship that led the attack on Pear Harbour back Tokyo . Although the film relies heavily on the deep relationship between Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle/Glenn Ford and Lt. Archer 'Archie' Sloan/Ernest Borgnine . This nail-biter is a tightly-knit drama centered on the relentless sea maneuvers of a sub going after a carrier and vice versa . Sometimes slow , generally worthwhile watching . As a main premise results to be an engaging issue : a ship transporting his family is acting as a shield for the Akagi carrier forcing Doyle to make a terrible decision, as his country comes first and he blows the freighter out of water . The film is known as one of the most famous WWII submarine movies, though some scenes at sea, however, suffer from the utilization of obvious models in a just as obvious studio tank . Secondary cast is frankly good such as : Diane Brewster, Dean Jones , L.Q. Jones , Philip Ober , Richard Carlyle and Robert Hardy . George J. Folsey's colorful and vivid cinematography , including spectacular maritime scenes , set in the Pacific Ocean of World War II ; in fact , this movie's ocean scenes were filmed in the Pacific Ocean. .¨Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1958) wishes to thank the Department of Defense and the United States Navy for their assistance in the production of this motion picture."

The motion picture was professionally directed by Joseph Pevney who also made other WWII films as ¨Away all boats¨. Pevney shot all kinds of genres as Comedy , Film Noir , Mystery , Drama , such as : ¨Who is the black Dahilia ?¨, ¨The strange door¨, ¨Man of a thousand faces¨, ¨Mysterious Island of beautiful women¨, ¨Cash McCall¨, ¨Tammy and the bachelor¨, ¨Istanbul¨, ¨Because of you¨ and Westerns as ¨Night of Grizzly¨ .



This ¨Torpedo run¨ represents one of a select group of a few World War II submarine movies which have won the one single Academy Award in a technical category, that's just only the one Oscar in either special effects or sound editing. These movies include ¨Crash Dive¨ ; ¨Enemy below ¨(57) by Dick Powell with Curt Jurgens, Robert Mitchum , and ¨U-571¨. The non-WW II sub-movie, ¨The Hunt for Red October¨ also won just the one Oscar as did the WW 2 part sub-movie 49th Parallel , but for Best Original Story . Furthermore , other important films about submarine are ¨Run Silent Run Deep¨, ¨Crimson tide¨ by Tony Scott with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman; ¨K19¨ with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson and the best ¨Das Boot¨ (1982) by Wolfgang Petersen with Jurgen Prochnow .

only fair

[amolad · 5/10 · 4 March 2001]

This is not such a successful movie. Glenn Ford is solid as always and Ernest Borgnine delivers a serviceable performance, but the problem is the script and direction. The story is on the sluggish side and after the midway point you don't have a sense of enough really at stake. The flashbacks to civilian life also take the audience out of the war story in a way that releases any built-up tension. Then the movie has to start all over.

The effects are also not terribly good, even by 1958 standards. Too many model shots of ships, and the interior of the sub really does feel like a studio set, especially due to the lighting design.

One thing that is especially interesting about TORPEDO RUN is a sub evacuation sequence in which the seamen exit the submarine at the floor of the ocean using Momsen-lungs, special breathing devices. These devices are very rarely shown in submarine movies.

A much, much better sub movie was released a few months before this one: RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP.

In the end it's okay

[Wizard-8 · 3 September 2014]

The Leonard Maltin movie guide describes this World War 2 movie as being "sluggish". To some degree I would have to agree. Despite the movie taking place on the ocean battlefield, there often seems to be some sort of spark missing, with an almost casual feeling taking place instead. While I'm not looking for Michael Bay speed and edits, more adrenaline should have been injected. The leisurely pace is not the only thing dated. While some of the Oscar-nominated special effects *are* good, there are a few special effects shots that may provoke giggles from modern day audiences. And the ending wraps things up a little suddenly, and may be unsatisfying to some viewers.

Fortunately, there is more good than negative stuff. Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine give solid and believable performances. (And there is fun seeing L.Q. Jones and Dean Jones among the supporting players.) And while the movie may be leisurely at times, it doesn't get to the point of being boring. If you are looking for a submarine warfare movie, you could do worse.

Decent enough, fairly early, genre movie.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 13 August 2007]

The movie has a pretty interesting approach for '50's standards, by inserting lots of flashback sequences, with the home-front, that however also happen to be incredibly sappy. It does at parts make the movie a melodramatic one.

Submarine movies just never have been any of the best or most exciting, action packed movies because of their restraints, with a couple of well known exceptions of course. The movie has a good beginning but as it heads toward the ending the movie starts to drag and become less interesting, when the movie becomes more personal and gets filled with some more emotional aspects.

It even manages to put in a personal and family dramatic main plot-line in the movie. What an accomplishment for a submarine movie! Yes, it helps to make the movie more original and less formulaic but it also of course isn't the most interesting approach thinkable, especially not since it gets stretched out for the movie its entire duration.

The miniature effects were pretty good looking. I mean I have seen far worse, even from movies that were made much later. Although they are hard from convincing by todays standards of course.

Glenn Ford was a great choice for the main lead, as the tough looking but sensitive commander. Ernest Borgnine forms a good duo with him, as the submarine's lieutenant. The rest of the character remain mostly in the back.

A decent enough genre attempt.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Two man movie in Pevney's undervalued submarine drama.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 24 February 2010]

The Pacific, 1942, and Submarine commander Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle (Glenn Ford) is pursuing the Japanese ship that led the attack on Pearl Harbor back to Tokyo, where to all intents and purposes, he plans to enact revenge. But there's a major problem in the form of a freighter that is being used as a screen in front of the ship. For this freighter houses American prisoners of war, among them Doyle's own wife and child.

A well put together psychological thriller by director Joseph Pevney that is formed from a novel by Richard Sale {who co-writes the screenplay with William Wister Haines}. Tho the usual problems that exist with WW2 film's from this era are evident here {racist undertones, jingoistic sloganeering & hierarchy back slapping}, Torpedo Run manages to break away from its inheritance to become a taut involving aquatic drama fit to be named alongside the best in the submarine sub-genre of war movies.

Glenn Ford's performance is well layered and credible. Few actors from his generation are as undervalued for playing personally conflicted characters as he is, and here as Doyle he is on top characterisation form. He is ably supported by Ernest Borgnine as Lt. Archer 'Archie' Sloan, Doyle's right hand man, friend and professional conscious. It's with the two actors that the plot rightly focuses on, but this sadly puts the supporting characters in the shade. Thus the one truly important thing lacking from the piece is a total group dynamic expose. But thanks to the strong lead performances, and Pevney's no tricks directing, the film survives its failing. There's also added weight thrown into the narrative with the use of flashbacks to show how Doyle's relationship with his wife evolved. This helps us to be privy to Doyle's torment as he must make a career and life altering decision in the midst of war. The action is of good quality, especially the eventual showdown between the rivals. And as one who personally likes to see the forgotten art of model work used effectively, this film also scores high on the exciting scale for like minded film fans.

Far from perfect for sure, but there's much to admire and be involved with to make it a solid recommend to fans of WW2 human dramas. 7/10

Beware of a determined submarine commander.

[michaelRokeefe · 7/10 · 29 November 1999]

A fair war movie, but better than average submarine flick. Lt. Commander Barney Doyle (Glenn Ford) is forced to conduct war with a Japanese prison ship carrying his family. The ship is used as a blind for a notorious battleship that the whole U.S. Navy is searching for. Others in this fine cast: Ernest Borgnine, Dean Jones, Diane Brewster and L.Q. Jones.

Nice, Tense Movie. Genre: Sub.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 28 May 2011]

This is a reasonably well-done tale of a submarine commanded by Glenn Ford, with Ernest Borgnine as his friend and executive officer, during World War II.

Ford and Borgnine are called back from the Philippines to Pearl Harbor, leaving Ford's wife and little girl behind. By the time Ford and Borgnine take their boat out, the family has been captured. Ford pursues the big Japanese aircraft carrier, the Shinaru, but it's being deliberately shielded by a transport carrying a thousand captives of the Japanese. The captives include Ford's own family, and he knows it, but he's forced -- against the urgent pleas of Borgnine -- to take a shot at the Shinaru. He misses and sinks the transport instead.

This leaves him understandably bitter. He takes his boat directly into Tokyo Bay and takes another shot at the Shinaru. This time his torpedoes are intercepted purposefully by a Japanese destroyer. After this dangerous venture he is barely able to get his boat back to Pearl Harbor, passing out in a tormented sleep for three days.

A final attempt at the carrier leads him to Kiska in the Aleutian Islands, which Ford considers a dead end. As well he should. This is late 1942. The Battle of Midway was over. The Japanese still held some territory in the Aleutians but it was practically uncontested. Nobody wanted the Aleutians. There's nothing there but sea lions and bird, and the weather is lousy. There were some bloody encounters in the fog and snow but in the end the Japanese withdrew, perhaps out of boredom.

The unlikely prospect of finding a big Japanese carrier there aside, this is pretty well done. It's unsparing in some ways. There are a few flashbacks to the happy times that Ford, his family, and Borgnine spent together, but in the end the wife and little blond girl die. A more traditional ending would have reunited them somehow.

The visual effects are effective too. And there is a good deal of tension in the scene in Tokyo Harbor, when Ford is negotiating a mine field. After the final attack on the Shinaru, the submarine is sunk. The majority of the crew escape using aqua lungs and are rescued by a companion boat, but six men are left behind to die. When he's pulled aboard the rescue boat, one of the first things Ford asks is the names of the men who didn't make it -- an admirable touch.

Borgnine is a little more humanistic than the skipper. This is a traditional conflict: the sympathetic second-in-command and the stern and by-the-book skipper. At that, Glenn Ford is not just tough, he's almost miraculously indifferent to pain. When they are depth-charged, Ford falls and breaks the bone in his upper arm. The pharmacist's mate puts a small splint over the fracture and Ford carries on -- giving orders, donning his escape gear, floating to the surface -- as if nothing were wrong. I remember meeting a stranger as he emerged, loaded, from a bar and managed to fall down while trying to get into his car. "I think I broke my fibia," he said thickly. And indeed I could feel the grinding of a fractured bone in his shin. By the time the ambulance arrived, it could no longer be said that he was feeling no pain.

As a submarine movie, this is no masterpiece but it's above average. Ford is in his minimalist mode, not animated by hatred as in "The Big Heat," but the interpretation is believable enough. There are times when Borgnine seems to be reading his lines from cue cards but he's such a jolly, good-natured guy that it's difficult not to like him. And this is one of the few instances from this period when the inclusion of the hero's romantic interest is justified. Without the corny scenes of his wife an family, we wouldn't be able to understand Ford's character.

The Most Realistic Submarine Movie Out There

[nabor7 · 10/10 · 23 June 2004]

Having served in submarines for six years, and having seen every submarine movie possible, TORPEDO RUN is the most realistic movie yet. The submarine interior including the conning tower brought back a lot of memories. The crew terminology and actions were true to form. The gliches were few but only a submarine historian or WWII veteran would pick up on most of them. The opening scene of the ship in the periscope is not the same ship shown a few seconds later in actual footage being sunk. Also in 1942-1943 torpedo reliability was low and very seldom would only one be fired. I doubt that if a Captain would have known there were prisoners aboard a transport would the chance be taken as Barney Doyle took. At least one transport was really sunk carrying prisoners, but it was not marked as such and it was proceeding as a normal transport. All in all this is my favorite sub movie and I enjoyed every minute if it. Some seem to think it drags on and the story line is to simplistic. That's how it was. A sub's duty was to sink enemy shipping and there would be days of boredom followed by hours of gut wrenching tension amid depth charging, and constantly being chased under by aircraft. I highly recommend TORPEDO RUN.

It's about choices...hard ones

[nomoons11 · 6/10 · 10 October 2011]

This is a pretty decent little war drama. It's not high on the "must see" list but it's got Glenn Ford in it so...it's worth a watch.

The subs captain is living in Manila with his wife and child before the war starts in the Pacific. His wife in Manila, decides to stay behind and hide in the hills/mts. if and when the Japanese invade. The captain tries to put his foot down but she won't have it, she's staying with their child. Well the Japs invade and they imprison her and the child. The Japs know what sub captains are in the area and decide to take a troop ship of prison camp detainees, 2 who include his wife and child, all the way to Japan. They use the ship to block a heavily fortified Carrier ship from being torpedo'd by the captain. Well, they make the wrong move. The captain tries to shoot the Carrier anyhow...and misses...hitting and sinking the transport ship...killing his wife and child. From here on out its a cat and mouse game of finding the carrier ship he missed.

What I got out of this film is making good and bad choices. If he would have laid down the law with his wife, they would have been somewhere else..alive and well....but he acquiesces and lets her have her way. Down the line he eventually shoots the boat by mistake. Both of these were difficult choices that he now...has to live with.

So what would you have done?

lame brained slow stupid movie

[declandoyle · 2/10 · 9 December 2016]

lame brained slow stupid movie. torpedo run, or sorry honey, i torpedoed the kid. does anyone out there seriously believe that a man might make a choice like that & then live with it so easily? it would have been far more interesting to see him mistakenly sink the captives, learn about it afterwards, & THEN start his revenge path. & i don't know about reviewers who claim submarine experience but so blithely heading into a mine field & so easily escaping from it? nah? pathetic American 50s propaganda, & bad propaganda at that. if you want to see a proper submarine movie, burt lancaster & clark gable in run silent run deep or curt jurgens & robert mitchum in the enemy below are far superior fare.

Well Done, Sailor.

[Bill-16 · 8/10 · 11 February 2007]

I rank this up there with any of the other great Submarine movies. Das Boot, Enemy Below, Run Silent, Run Deep and others.

Glenn Ford is always at his best playing this type of character. Conflicted and mentally pained men who have tough decisions. Ernest Borgnine, as usual almost steals the movie though. He is one of the greatest second fiddle players in any movie he co stars in. Being someone who grew up watching him in McHale's Navy as a child and later learning just how great of an actor he can be, is a treat.

I do think the flashback scenes hurt the pace of the movie, but are necessary for context.

The movie is well filmed and makes great use of color. Many other great Sub movies about WWII are in Black and White, but that doesn't seem to take away from them. Here, the color is big plus.

I love Submarine movies probably because I know, that if I had the honor to of served in the U.S. Armed Forces, this would be the last place I'd want to be. Above the water I could tolerate it in battle, under it, I'd be a panicking wonder how I'd get out if we got hit. For that I salute everyone who served underwater, no matter which country you call home.

8/10 Rating.

BETTER AS IT GOES ALONG...!

[masonfisk · 7/10 · 1 December 2021]

A 1958 WWII sub film starring Glenn Ford & Ernest Borgnine. Ford is a sub captain who is on a mission to sink a particular Japanese ship (involved w/the Pearl Harbor attacks) which caused the death of his wife & family (they were prisoners on a Japanese jail ship which during an attack was used as a shield). Borgnine, his number one, fears the trauma is getting to get him, affecting his command but the bottom line is he's a very no nonsense & effective but after a tense mission in an underwater sub pen, they return home to get much needed R & R. When an opportunity arises for Ford to get his white whale, he jumps at the chance but a couple wrinkles surface w/Borgnine being offered a command of his own & fleet command's continued trepidation at Ford's frame of mind puts the final gambit into question. A bit problematic during the opening moments, the film actually improved as it when along w/a nail biting finale, where Ford's rig is damaged & the crew have to abandon ship. Wisely director Joseph Pevney (who directed many key original Star Trek episodes) keeps the action taut & claustrophobic. Also starring L. Q. Jones & Dean Jones (probably no relation) as some of the crew members.

I should give this movie zero, but I'm feeling generous!

[JohnHowardReid · 3/10 · 8 July 2017]

Copyright 1958 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at the Capitol: 24 October 1958. U.S. release: October 1958. U.K. release: 11 January 1959. Australian release: 15 January 1959. 98 minutes. Censored in the U.K. to 95 minutes in order to gain a "U" certificate.

SYNOPSIS: Barney Doyle, sub commander of the U.S.S. Grayfish, has two major concerns: one, he worries over the fate of his wife and child, taken prisoner by the Japanese when Manila fell; and two, he wonders if he'll ever get a crack at the Japanese carrier, Shinaru, flagship of the Pearl Harbor attack. Both questions are answered at the same time. On the day he gets the Shinaru in his periscope sights, he learns from COMSUBPAC that his family are aboard a transport shielding the carrier. Despite the objections of his executive officer, Archer Sloan, Barney feels duty-bound to fire. The Japanese scheme works — the Shinaru escapes into Tokyo Bay.

VIEWERS' GUIDE: Adults.

COMMENT: Few people set out to make a bad movie. A cheap movie, yes, but one that purposely fails to entertain its intended audience, that's rare. Yet sometimes you wonder what audience producers could have been thinking of when they made a particular picture. "Torpedo Run" is a case in point. An audience composed entirely of rabid Glenn Ford and/or Ernest Borgnine fans is the only one I can nominate that would enjoy "Torpedo Run". Lots and lots of close-ups of Glenn and Ernie, acting out their preposterous lines in a perfectly serious manner, not the slightest traces of mockery or deprecation in their voices. (The other players are a solidly stolid bunch too, but their roles are strictly support, so they don't count for much).

Maybe the movie is popular with fans of director Joe Pevney? I'm kidding. Joe doesn't have any fans. Doesn't deserve any either. A strictly pedestrian, totally unimaginative hack. An interesting actor, but a totally lousy director. Action fans, then? What action? Well, yes, if you like lots of blown-up, ill-matching stock footage and obvious models. CinemaScope fans? Well 'Scope is hardly the medium for claustrophobic submarine interiors — and that's where maybe 90 of the movie's 98 minutes is set. Movie fans? "Torpedo Run" is not a movie. It's radio soap opera, with one-dimensional characters, phony conflicts, and absolutely zilch in visual appeal.

Glenn Ford as Captain Ahab.

[vandino1 · 30 May 2006]

These submarine films always follow the pattern of playing out the relationship of the determined Captain and the watchful, suspicious second in command. This one features Ford as the Captain and Borgnine as the Lieutenant. Same old routine. The film starts fine then gradually becomes absurd as feverish Ford turns into Captain Ahab relentlessly in search of his white whale---in this case the Japanese carrier Shinaru. Seems the Navy is perfectly willing to accommodate Ford on his obsessive mission, and Borgnine is even willing to reject the offer of a command of his own vessel in order to stick by Ahab-Ford's side. Oh, sure. And what started all this? In an earlier scene, Ford is "forced" to torpedo a transport filled with 1400 civilians, including Ford's wife and child (caught in Manila) that is being used as a screen to protect the Shinaru. Absurd! Both the Navy and Ford's character, fully aware the transport is there, would never take that kind of chance. The potentially staggering loss would have been a calamity that would never have been sanctioned. This is just a ridiculous contrivance to fuel Ford's obsession. In addition, the filmmakers try to have it both ways by never stating whether or not Ford's family survives or not. Borgnine is merely there as the Voice of Reason. His only other duty seems to be offering Ford coffee in every other scene.

Otherwise, this film is a second-rate action film. The supporting actors have almost nothing to work with, leaving them blanks we could care less about. Interesting to see a young Al Freeman, Jr. on board, since there were few black submariners in the service. So, not historically inaccurate. The stock footage of U.S. destroyers used to play Japanese destroyers IS inaccurate, obviously. And the special effects are variable; effective at times and painfully obvious at others. And the multi-depth charge walloping Ford's sub takes is very impressive, but also hard to believe that the sub isn't blown to pieces considering most of the charges explode right on top of it. One other odd note is the lack of a music score credit. The score is perfectly fine yet whoever provided it was either denied credit or took their name off it. Wonder why.

Adequate For Its Type

[screenman · 6/10 · 20 September 2009]

Well, I'm a fan of submarine movies. And like the previous poster, I can number many more entertaining efforts.

Glenn Ford plays the angst-ridden commander, whilst Ernie Borgnine doubles as his excessively friendly and loyal exec. Their's is a polarity that has become something of a genre cliché. Still, they work well together. The rest of the players also do an adequate job.

For me, the star of the show is the huge submarine of the American long-range Pacific fleet - the 'Gato' class. These were whoppers. Even so, the interior still looks a little too roomy to be believable, as most of these early sub movies do. They were also the most successful submarines of WW2 and I'm surprised we don't see them featured more often.

Some tactical issues seem extremely hokey. The initial attack on the Japanese aircraft carrier would surely have been initiated from several miles away allowing the sub to position itself on whichever side of the carrier that was not protected by the freighter. As things are, by taking such a reckless action, knowing that the freighter contained some 1400 POW's and civilians, the sub commander was surely liable to a war-crime charge. Add to that his collision with a barrage despite being aware of its proximity, and remaining at periscope depth at low speed when a destroyer was barely a thousand yards away, and you begin to wonder how the skipper ever got his command. He certainly wasn't fit. The speed of the carrier is also quoted as 21knots. So how come the common-or-garden freighter was managing to keep up with it? That vessel would barely have managed half the speed.

The Japanese ships are all too clearly models. Not as goofy as those of Preminger's 'In Harm's Way', but it is a post-war movie (1958) more could surely have been done.

Worth a watch, but by no means collectible. Britain's 1943 vintage 'We Dive At Dawn' has a great deal more going for it, despite being 15 years older and made on a wartime budget.

Drama Good - Plot Far-fetched

[DKosty123 · 6/10 · 11 February 2007]

When I first saw this I got caught up in the drama & fine acting that Glenn Ford & Ernest Borgnine put into the script. On a second viewing you realize how contrived the special effects are & how far fetched some of the sequences are. At least the film is logical & creates good drama.

Looking at it the second time, there is no way with World War 2 equipment that the sub could go through a mine field like that. A lot of sequences show depth charges going off so close to the sub, that it would have instantly sank, not survived. Any submariner could only wish they could have done this.

What this film is good at is producing drama & atmosphere. Of course, a lot of submarine films have already duplicated the atmosphere so by the time this one was made, that is not a big accomplishment. The quality of the interaction between Ford & Borgnine is what makes this film watchable. Just ignore the far-fetched underwater sequences & concentrate on the story & you will enjoy it.

153

Good, but it's hard to recommend this over many better submarine films

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 2 February 2009]

TORPEDO RUN is a decent film and much of the film is pretty exciting. However, it suffers from a serious glut in the genre--there are just so many really, REALLY good submarine films. Just off the top of my head, DESTINATION TOKYO, OPERATION PACIFIC, RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, CRASH DIVE, THE ENEMY BELOW and the amazing DAS BOOT all come to mind as great sub films--all of which clearly surpass TORPEDO RUN. However, if you haven't had too much of all this sort of film, then by all means give this film a look.

The film stars Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine. Ford's character and performance are very quiet and intense--almost reminiscent of Captain Ahab but in a more subdued way. Borgnine, on the other hand, while not the official star of the film seemed to have a better and more interesting role as the second in command who is friends with Ford but a bit worried about his boss' mental state. The reason this is a concern is that apparently Ford's wife and daughter are aboard a Japanese prisoner ship that their sub accidentally sinks (this is WAY too coincidental a plot device--I mean, what are the chances?!?). However, despite the ridiculousness of the plot, the battle sequences are taut, well executed and the special effects are very good. You can't see the sides of the pool in which they filmed the underwater scenes (something you can see in many other sub films--even some of the ones listed above) and only once did I clearly notice a string pulling one of the torpedoes through the water (again, it's unfortunately common to see this in other sub films).

So what we have is a fairly good and typical film of the genre that is impeded a bit by a hard to believe plot twist. However, decent performances (particularly by Borgnine) still make this reasonably good entertainment.

Hot, Straight, but Abnormal

[howdymax · 7/10 · 14 August 2007]

Another submarine movie. This one is now a standard for the genre. All that tension. It makes you wonder why they can't all just get along. Even the best of friends seem to fall out when they get cooped up in a submarine. Glenn Ford and Ernie Borgnine are best buddies and Captain and Exec aboard the Greyfish. Best of buddies, of course, until Glenn Ford is forced to make a decision Ernie disagrees with - and here we go again. Cary Grant and Burt Lancaster, Ronald Reagan and Arthur Franz, Glenn and Ernie, etc. We never seem to get tired of the clichés. Let me make this one point though. For once, we don't have the usual cast of characters. No wise guy called Brooklyn, no homey coyoot called Texas, and no hayseed from Nebraska called, well Nebraska. Or maybe Junior. Remember him with the freckles and the cowlick?

There isn't much point in going into the story. You've seen it before. You've probably seen this movie before. It's no Das Boot, but for what it is, it holds it's own.

I never understood Glenn Ford. He really needed to lighten up. I don't think I ever saw the man smile - never mind laugh. He always seemed to be barely in control of some unexplained rage. I don't know what he was like personally, but if his acting was any reflection of the man, one might wonder why he never made the front page of The Hollywood Reporter.

An excellent submarine movie

[mr. sardonicus · 8/10 · 12 September 2000]

Glenn Ford is excellent as Barney Doyle, the war weary sub commander who has to make command decisions which will haunt him the rest of his life. The supporting cast is very good, especially Borgine as Arch, Doyle's second in command and best friend. The director, Joseph Pevney, does a good job of creating an atmosphere of tension as the Americans hunt down the prize of the Japanese fleet--the ship which ultimately costs Doyle his family. My favorite scene is when the American sub sneaks into Tokyo Bay in search of the Japanese carrier. Admittedly, Torpedo Run is not as gritty and intense as Das Boot, nor is it as action-packed as The Hunt For Red October, but in its own way it is on par with both of these fine films. If you like 1950s WWII movies or if you're a Glenn Ford fan, you can't miss with Torpedo Run. It's one of those movies I have to watch at least a couple of times each year.

Torpedo Run is Limited in Scope ***

[edwagreen · 7/10 · 12 March 2014]

Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine do well in this 1958 drama, but the writing is limited.

Ford has an ultimate personal decision to make. We have seen in the tradition of 1982's "Sophie's Choice." I'm talking about the power of life and death here.

The crew is limited here with their usual talk about the opposite sex.

Borgnine, as Ford's best friend and assistant, is most supportive here which is heart rendering.

Philip Ober is appealing as an understanding general. The brief use of flashbacks here is effective as Ford knew what was coming and wanted his wife to flee with their baby daughter.

Pretty pat submarine drama starring Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine

[jacobs-greenwood · 5/10 · 10 December 2016]

Directed by Joseph Pevney, and written by William Wister Haines and Richard Sale, this average World War II submarine drama stars Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine; Ford is the commander of a submarine and Borgnine is his first officer. Like most in this genre, Ford plays a tortured, determined sub captain who's chasing a "holy grail"-like target, in this case a Japanese "flat top", a new aircraft carrier named Shinaru; Borgnine's character is also Ford's friend who helps and/or covers for his commanding officer (C.O.).

The cast includes a number of supporting actors including Diane Brewster, who plays Ford's wife in a couple of flashback sequences, Dean Jones as Foley and L.Q. Jones as Benson are two members of Ford's crew, Philip Ober as Ford's C.O., and William Schallert (uncredited) as another sub's commander. The Japanese characters are barely seen and, of course, uncredited. The film's Effects, which are really nothing special, received an Academy Award nomination.

The story is compelling at times, but is also full of the usual clichés:

Lieutenant Commander Barney Doyle (Ford) is Admiral Samuel Setton's (Ober) best submarine captain; his "Grey Fish" has attained an impressive record of success sinking enemy targets. Barney is driven because, for 10 months, he hasn't known the fate of his wife and two year old daughter, who were living in Manila before Pearl Harbor and Japan's invasion of the Philippines. When word finally surfaces that Jane (Brewster) and their daughter Dede (Kimberly Beck, uncredited in her screen debut) have been found alive and well in a Japanese internment camp, it's soon followed by news that the sought after carrier Shinaru is being screened by a transport ship with 1,400 prisoners-of-war, likely including Doyle's family, and two destroyers, dubbed "tin cans".

Naturally, Barney and his crew is given the opportunity to take a crack at sinking the target but the captain, despite pleas from his first officer Lieutenant Archie Sloan (Borgnine), takes an ill- advised risk and accidentally shoots the transport ship instead. Because of the destroyers, who have dropped depth charges in order to destroy them, and are currently lying in wait, the Grey Fish is unable to rescue the survivors.

Seeing this scene would later cause Barney to wrestle with his emotions about the tragedy for three days in his captain's quarters, but not before he successfully commands the sub into Tokyo Bay and destroys another tin can in lieu of the desired target. They'd had to hide among some enemy mines and blow through some sub trap netting during their escape.

Upon their ordered return to Pearl Harbor, Admiral Setton questions Archie about Barney's fitness, while offering the Lieutenant a ship of his own. Archie tells the truth about Barney's struggle but then states that he'd rather be Doyle's subordinate on another mission to sink the Shinaru than helm his own boat. So, Barney and the Grey Fish are given another chance, and are accompanied by another sub dubbed the "Blue Fin". When a suspicious Barney asks Archie about his conversation with the admiral, Doyle's paranoia causes a rift between the two friends.

Later after taking another undue risk, Barney causes the Grey Fish to lose its conning tower and most of its communications ability, reducing their chances of sinking the Shinaru by sonar to one in eight. Now unable to using either periscope, Barney decides to let Archie help make the decision to continue the quest to sink the Japanese carrier, which they do despite great risk to themselves and their crew. The Grey Fish is sunk to the bottom by a Japanese destroyer, which is then in turn sunk by the Blue Fin.

One of the film's most interesting, and not often seen, sequences follows as the crew of the Grey Fish abandons their submerged sub in order to be rescued by the Blue Fin's crew. Their skipper, Randy (Schallert), is able to show Barney that he and his crew (minus the six that died in their sinking) did successfully sink the Shinaru.

A Classic Submarine Picture!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 26 February 2004]

If you are interested in the way the Navy crew operates under the ocean floors, you will love this great Navy story about how the U.S. Navy was able to out wit the enemy which was Japan during WWII and all the tricks of the trade that were utilized under the very depths of the Pacific Ocean. The photography was great for a 1958 film and Glenn Ford( Lt. Cmdr.Barney Doyle),"Pocket Full of Miracles",'61, gave a great performance along with some mental blocks that was interfering with his command of his submarine. However, Ernest Borgnine(Lt.Archer Sloan),"Marty",'55, was a loyal officer to Barney and turned down his own commission as Commander to assist Barney in his hopes to destroy a FLAT TOP (aircraft carrier) of the Japanese Navy. There was a very interesting scene where the submarine crew was able to evacuate their sub and be able to surface to another submarine for safety. This is truly a Classic film from the past and I am quite sure some of these events actually happened during WWII.

" You're trying to make this War very personal, aren't you ? "

[thinker1691 · 7/10 · 3 March 2014]

Choosing from among the war time navel stories written by Richard Sale, director Joseph Pevney selected this one entitled " Torpedo Run. " It tells the saga of Lt. Commander Barney Doyal (Glenn Ford), a Submarine commander who remembers the Akagi, the attack ship which lead the attack on Pearl harbor on December 7th 1941. Believing his immediate family is safe and out of Harms way, Doyal is out at sea searching for the enemy when his Superiors send him a message that his family has been put aboard a transport ship, being used to Screen and protect the Akagi and dares him to attack his aircraft Carrier while Doyal's family is screening it. Doyal is a professional navy commander and realizes what he must do, despite his second in command Lt. Archie Slone', (Ernest Borgnine) advice and objections. This film was highly nominated for an Oscar in the 1950's and the very special effects which went into the movie gives audiences the reasons why. The cast also include Dean Jones and L.Q. Jones. This film should be part of any war time collection as it has become a true Classic. Easily recommended. ****

Tedious and melodramatic

[hemisphere65-1 · 3/10 · 12 December 2021]

I don't blame Ford and Borgnine for the problems with movie. The script and direction are both terrible, full of contrived situations.

Watch Das Boot instead!