William Holden takes on PTSD in this unique Golden Hollywood Era War Film Submarine Command. New to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
The Film
Submarine Command is the most unique of War Films. One that heads deep long into what we now know as PTSD. The William Holden starrer manages to be more of a drama with bookends of action than your traditional action picture.
Submarine Lieutenant Commander Ken White (Holden) is haunted by the act that saved the lives of his Submarine crew but at the cost of Commander Rice (Jack Gregson). No one blames White, not Rice’s widow (Peggy Webber) or his father a Rear Admiral (Moroni Olsen). But White can’t shake the feeling of crippling guilt that is in danger of ruining not just his military career but his marriage. It’s only when the beginnings of the Korean War and a new commission in the same sub that sealed his friend’s fate may be the only chance of regaining what he lost at sea.
The film is an action/drama first with Holden leading the charge on this big glossy picture. The undercurrent, not so much the themes, of trauma on the battlefield is more dramaturgy for Holden and the cast to play through the middle section of the film. That isn’t a dig, as many films at the time, that were “important social pictures” made those themes almost annoyingly face-slappingly obvious. Here it’s still very clear but it’s done in a way that makes it a part of the story. The adroit screenplay by John Latimer manages to just keep the tensions of this fight brimming on the surface. Something that director John Farrow manages to give as much attention to as he does to the crisp cracker jack action scenes.
In the end, Submarine Command does fumble the finale with its solution for the PTSD of Holden’s character. All one needs to do is go back into war and have a successful mission to rid yourself of the guilt-ridden dread. It’s the one quaint terrible blight on an otherwise forward-thinking action drama. However, it shouldn’t be judged too cruelly as it is better at dealing with the realities of war better than most (not all) of the war films of in the last sixty years.
The Transfer
The 2020 HD Master by Paramount Pictures – From a 4K Scan is a stellar representation of this 35mm shot Black and White film. There is nary a scratch on the print. I only say that because the stock footage the film uses is a mess to put it nicely but that’s the affectation of the footage, not the new master. The master outside those pieces of stock footage is flat-out beautiful. Kino has done it again bringing a wonderful transfer of a title to homevideo.
The Extras
They include the following;
- NEW Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin
- Trailers
The all-new Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin begins with who was initially cast in the film before Don Taylor and William Holden were cast. Some of the details include a discussion of the realism in the film – specifically the submarine; a larger discussion of the various submarine films released at the time – including ones starring Cary Grant, John Wayne; the production schedule, the budget, and more about the production itself – much of it shot on location; a larger discussion throughout about the work of John Farrow and what his style separated it from other sub films – including a great discussion of the production shooting 35mm footage of real ships instead of model/FX work; a discussion of the career and personal history of co-star Don Taylor – including spotlighting various roles in war films; the work of screenwriter John Latimer; the work and career of William Holden – including a larger discussion of what defined him as a great movie star; the complexity of shooting the action scenes on location and requirements that were needed to accomplish use of the various war machines; the use of stock film and other FX of the film; a discussion of the various submarines of the various countries and a discussion of the life in it; the reasons why the US Military cooperated with so many Hollywood productions – and when this changed; a larger discussion of the history of Hollywood and Propaganda; the career and personal history of actor Nancy Olson – including her 4 films with Holden; a larger discussion about the various supporting actors – including a discussion of their role in the film and in other films; the work and personal life of John Farrow; and much more. Mitchell and Rubin deliver another detailed deep dive into another Golden Era Studio War Film.
Rounding out the special feature are trailers for Turning Point (2:01); The Bridges at Toko-Ri (2:00); The Horse Soldiers (2:39); The Counterfeit Traitor (3:23); The 7th Dawn (2:55); The Devil’s Brigade (3:47); China (209); Wake Island (2:08); Attack! (2:31); Run Silent, Run Deep (3:02)
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber’s edition of Submarine Command delivers another great edition. Recommended!!!
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William Holden takes on PTSD in this unique Golden Hollywood Era War Film Submarine Command. New to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
The Film
Submarine Command is the most unique of War Films. One that heads deep long into what we now know as PTSD. The William Holden starrer manages to be more of a drama with bookends of action than your traditional action picture.
Submarine Lieutenant Commander Ken White (Holden) is haunted by the act that saved the lives of his Submarine crew but at the cost of Commander Rice (Jack Gregson). No one blames White, not Rice’s widow (Peggy Webber) or his father a Rear Admiral (Moroni Olsen). But White can’t shake the feeling of crippling guilt that is in danger of ruining not just his military career but his marriage. It’s only when the beginnings of the Korean War and a new commission in the same sub that sealed his friend’s fate may be the only chance of regaining what he lost at sea.
The film is an action/drama first with Holden leading the charge on this big glossy picture. The undercurrent, not so much the themes, of trauma on the battlefield is more dramaturgy for Holden and the cast to play through the middle section of the film. That isn’t a dig, as many films at the time, that were “important social pictures” made those themes almost annoyingly face-slappingly obvious. Here it’s still very clear but it’s done in a way that makes it a part of the story. The adroit screenplay by John Latimer manages to just keep the tensions of this fight brimming on the surface. Something that director John Farrow manages to give as much attention to as he does to the crisp cracker jack action scenes.
In the end, Submarine Command does fumble the finale with its solution for the PTSD of Holden’s character. All one needs to do is go back into war and have a successful mission to rid yourself of the guilt-ridden dread. It’s the one quaint terrible blight on an otherwise forward-thinking action drama. However, it shouldn’t be judged too cruelly as it is better at dealing with the realities of war better than most (not all) of the war films of in the last sixty years.
The Transfer
The 2020 HD Master by Paramount Pictures – From a 4K Scan is a stellar representation of this 35mm shot Black and White film. There is nary a scratch on the print. I only say that because the stock footage the film uses is a mess to put it nicely but that’s the affectation of the footage, not the new master. The master outside those pieces of stock footage is flat-out beautiful. Kino has done it again bringing a wonderful transfer of a title to homevideo.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new Audio Commentary by Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin begins with who was initially cast in the film before Don Taylor and William Holden were cast. Some of the details include a discussion of the realism in the film – specifically the submarine; a larger discussion of the various submarine films released at the time – including ones starring Cary Grant, John Wayne; the production schedule, the budget, and more about the production itself – much of it shot on location; a larger discussion throughout about the work of John Farrow and what his style separated it from other sub films – including a great discussion of the production shooting 35mm footage of real ships instead of model/FX work; a discussion of the career and personal history of co-star Don Taylor – including spotlighting various roles in war films; the work of screenwriter John Latimer; the work and career of William Holden – including a larger discussion of what defined him as a great movie star; the complexity of shooting the action scenes on location and requirements that were needed to accomplish use of the various war machines; the use of stock film and other FX of the film; a discussion of the various submarines of the various countries and a discussion of the life in it; the reasons why the US Military cooperated with so many Hollywood productions – and when this changed; a larger discussion of the history of Hollywood and Propaganda; the career and personal history of actor Nancy Olson – including her 4 films with Holden; a larger discussion about the various supporting actors – including a discussion of their role in the film and in other films; the work and personal life of John Farrow; and much more. Mitchell and Rubin deliver another detailed deep dive into another Golden Era Studio War Film.
Rounding out the special feature are trailers for Turning Point (2:01); The Bridges at Toko-Ri (2:00); The Horse Soldiers (2:39); The Counterfeit Traitor (3:23); The 7th Dawn (2:55); The Devil’s Brigade (3:47); China (209); Wake Island (2:08); Attack! (2:31); Run Silent, Run Deep (3:02)
The Final Thought
Kino Lorber’s edition of Submarine Command delivers another great edition. Recommended!!!
Kino Lorber’s Blu-Ray edition of Submarine Command is out now.
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