I’ve seen Run Silent, Run Deep multiple times. It’s one of those rare movies that has legs. Yes, the special effects might seem a little corny with large models and obvious wires. But back in the day, its special effects were cutting-edge and riveted audiences. And today, even though you see the wires, your eyes are glued to the screen as you watch events unfold. The world of the 21st Century forgets how young those crews were who manned those ships during WWII, so we don’t consider Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster as a little old to be playing their roles. But WWII officers in their late twenties were considered old men, and when this film came out in the Fifties, people still remembered that and it was mentioned in the reviews. Still, audiences forgive older actors, wires and other minor inaccuracies when the story is vivid enough to capture our imaginations. Run Silent, Run Deep captures the audience. I think that elusive quality is why so many of the elements of this film found their way into other celluloid naval yarns. Run Silent, Run Deep is also the film debut of Don Rickles. I’d list it as one of my top-ten favorite submarine movies.
