John Farrow (Wake Island, China) directs a story and screenplay by Jonathan Latimer (Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Alias Nick Beal) which takes a very early look at what would later be called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Screen icon William Holden (Stalag 17, The Bridges at Toko-Ri) stars as WWII Lieutenant Commander Ken White, who orders the submarine USS Tiger Shark to crash dive in order to evade a Japanese aerial attack. While the maneuver saves the submarine, it consequently kills the captain and another crewman. White is promoted, but the events on the Tiger Shark continue to haunt him and also disrupt his relationship with his wife Carol (Nancy Olson, Union Station). Eventually, he takes a desk job. But when the Korean War flares up, White is called back to active duty and asked to command the Tiger Shark once more. One of the very first dramas to tackle the psychological consequences of war, Submarine Command also features first-class work from William Bendix (Lifeboat) and Don Taylor (The Naked City).
For thoughts on Submarine Command, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
Submarine Command makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Kino Classics with a brand new 1080p transfer from a 4K scan courtesy of Paramount conducted in 2020. This film is over 70 years old, but this presentation makes it look practically brand new – perhaps to a fault. The film looks impeccably clear, but we believe that some DNR or smoothing of the sort has been applied to eliminate most of the natural film grain. The film still keeps some texture within the production design and costumes, but there is an uncanny quality to the proceedings that keeps it from feeling completely natural. The lovely black-and-white photography shot by Lionel Lindon could be naturally this clear, but we are not buying it.
The new transfer exhibits a good amount of depth within the film’s composition. The interior of the submarine is captured in ways that can make it feel appropriately claustrophobic. Black levels are serviceable with no obvious occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is firmly defined, and the track rarely experiences instances of flicker and density fluctuation in the print. The occasional stray line or speck of damage remains, but there is no doubt that it has been cleaned up considerably. Kino Classics has done a decent job with this one even if we wish Paramount would be more consistent with their restoration efforts.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a fine DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this movie well considering its age. Dialogue and background elements are represented harmoniously with all competing elements. Even during the more thrilling moments, the dialogue is able to be deciphered quite easily. The track is somewhat unsteady when it comes to the music, which likely can be attributed to the age of the source elements. Thankfully, this does not overshadow the dialogue or other important information. This track does present a subtle amount of age-related wear and tear and some faint humming, but it is not a major issue throughout. Kino Classics has provided a solid presentation. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism author Steven Jay Rubin deliver a terrifically informative commentary track in which they discuss where this fits into the WWII subgenre, the background of the ensemble players, the score of the picture, the special effects work, and many other topics.
- Trailers: This disc provides trailers for The Turning Point, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, The Horse Soldiers, The Counterfeit Traitor, The 7th Dawn, The Devil’s Brigade, China, Wake Island, Attack and Run Silent, Run Deep.
Final Thoughts
Submarine Command is an engaging thriller that handles issues now known as PTSD in a fairly considerate way considering the time period when it was created. The film is a bit melodramatic, but we do not mind that on occasion. What makes this one excel is the performances, especially from William Holden and William Bendix. The film accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time, and it is well worth discovering if you like this period in filmmaking. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that sports a fine A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. If you are a fan of the cast or the director, this release is worth checking out. Recommended
Submarine Command will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on May 14, 2024.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
