Submarine Attack
Encyclopedia
Originally titled La Grande Speranza, retitled Submarine Attack and Torpedo Zone in English, this low-key anti-war film
is slow-moving and lacking in dramatic tension by action film standards, but conveys its message effectively. It is notable for being shot inside and on the deck of an actual submarine, and for winning both the Special Prize of the Senate of Berlin
and the OCIC Award at the Berlin International Film Festival
. Also noteworthy is the subsequent career of the only woman in the film, Lois Maxwell
, who went on to play Miss Moneypenny
in 14 James Bond
films.
submarine
captain conducts successful attacks on enemy merchant shipping in the eastern Atlantic Ocean
during World War II
, and then rescues the survivors of his victims, including a member of the Canadian Women's Army Corps
(and a dog
). The captain's compulsion to save his victims culminates in his taking aboard 24 additional Danish merchant seamen; with no space down below, they are accommodated under the walkway outside the hull, at risk of drowning if the submarine is forced to submerge. He then sails the survivors hundreds of miles across the open ocean on the surface to put them ashore in the Azores
.
Anti-war film
An anti-war film is a film that emphasizes the pain, horror, and human costs of armed conflict. While some films criticize armed conflicts in a general sense, others focus on acts within a specific war, such as the use of poison gas or the genocidal killing of civilians . Some anti-war films such...
is slow-moving and lacking in dramatic tension by action film standards, but conveys its message effectively. It is notable for being shot inside and on the deck of an actual submarine, and for winning both the Special Prize of the Senate of Berlin
Senate of Berlin
The Senate of Berlin is the executive body governing the city of Berlin, which at the same time is a state of Germany. According to the Constitution of Berlin the Senate consists of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and up to eight Senators appointed by the Governing Mayor, two of whom are appointed ...
and the OCIC Award at the Berlin International Film Festival
4th Berlin International Film Festival
The 4th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 18 to June 29, 1954.-Films in competition:* Det stora äventyret by Arne Sucksdorff* Hobson's Choice by David Lean* Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa...
. Also noteworthy is the subsequent career of the only woman in the film, Lois Maxwell
Lois Maxwell
Lois Maxwell was a Canadian actress.Maxwell began her film career in the late 1940s, and won a Golden Globe Award for the New Actress of the Year for her performance in That Hagen Girl...
, who went on to play Miss Moneypenny
Miss Moneypenny
Jane Moneypenny, better known as Miss Moneypenny, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M, who is Bond's boss and head of the British Secret Service...
in 14 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
films.
Plot summary
An ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
captain conducts successful attacks on enemy merchant shipping in the eastern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and then rescues the survivors of his victims, including a member of the Canadian Women's Army Corps
Canadian Women's Army Corps
The Canadian Women's Army Corps was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women established during World War II to release men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding Canada's war effort. Most women served in Canada but some served overseas, most...
(and a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
). The captain's compulsion to save his victims culminates in his taking aboard 24 additional Danish merchant seamen; with no space down below, they are accommodated under the walkway outside the hull, at risk of drowning if the submarine is forced to submerge. He then sails the survivors hundreds of miles across the open ocean on the surface to put them ashore in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.
Cast
- Lois MaxwellLois MaxwellLois Maxwell was a Canadian actress.Maxwell began her film career in the late 1940s, and won a Golden Globe Award for the New Actress of the Year for her performance in That Hagen Girl...
- Lt. Lily Donald - Renato Baldini - The Submarine Commandanti
- Carlo Bellini - Officer
- Aldo Bufi LandiAldo Bufi LandiAldo Bufi Landi is an Italian film actor. He has appeared in 96 films since 1947.He was born in Naples, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Assunta Spina * Signorinella * 47 morto che parla...
- Lieutenant - Earl CameronEarl Cameron (actor)Earl Cameron, CBE is a Bermudian actor. He is known as one of the first black actors to break the "colour bar" in the United Kingdom, along with Cy Grant...
- Johnny Brown, POW - David Carbonari
- Ludovico Ceriana
- Carlo Delle PianeCarlo Delle PianeCarlo delle Piane is an Italian film actor. He has appeared in 104 films since 1948. He was born in Rome, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Cuore * Vogliamoci bene * Io sono il capataz...
- Ciccio - Edward FlemingEdward FlemingEdward Lascelles Fleming was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.He unsuccessfully contested the Leigh constituency at the 1922 general election, and did not stand again until the 1931 general election, when he won the Manchester Withington seat...
- Jean Cartier - José Jaspe - Spanish POW
- Paolo PanelliPaolo PanelliPaolo Panelli was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 55 films between 1948 and 1996. He was married to Bice Valori.-Selected filmography:* Hearts at Sea * Against the Law...
- Rudy Solinas
- Henri Vidon - Robert Steiner
- Folco LulliFolco LulliFolco Lulli was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 104 films between 1946 and 1970. He was the brother of actor Piero Lulli.-Selected filmography:* Flesh Will Surrender * Tragic Hunt...
- Nostromo, First Mate - Guido Bizzarri