Up Periscope (DVD)

Great movie with excellent characters

I can't bring myself to really pan this movie, despite its many flaws and shortcomings, because I must admit I was entertained by it. I bought the movie because I have fond memories of reading the book as a young boy back in the 60's. I must have read my Scholastic Book Club version of the novel at least ten times, and never tired of the dramatic story.Sorry to say, only part of that drama remains in this film version. I can't fault the performances of the main actors, other than Sally Johnson (who in her defense was battling an unplayable script). The action scenes were OK (but nothing to write home about), and in any case I'm a sucker for WWII naval movies even when they're not great. But there are just too many flaws in this film to overlook.1. James Garner swims to the enemy-held island using SCUBA gear - which wasn't invented until after the supposed time of this story.2. He's supposed to be coming ashore on the lagoon side of a coral reef, but what he emerges from is painfully obviously the California coastline - complete with heavy surf, which you'd never find in a lagoon on such a windless, clear-weather day.3. There are Jeeps among the vehicles on the enemy base. The Japanese didn't have Jeeps in WWII.4. The island is rocky and mountainous. South Pacific coral islands are sandy and almost entirely at sea level or at best a few feet above it. Again, too obviously California. Same for the vegetation.5. Wa-a-a-y too much disrespect for the captain and insubordination aboard the USS Barracuda. Such behavior would NEVER have been tolerated aboard a real US submarine in WWII. Heads would have rolled.6. The totally unnecessary love-interest subplot between Garner and Johnson was wooden and completely unbelievable - besides adding nothing to the story line.7. A flaw shared by nearly every other WWII submarine movie is the incredible interior spaciousness aboard the Barracuda, which in reality would have been cramped and claustrophobic.But I must mention one really excellent feature of this 1959 film, which is the very human portrayal it gives of the Japanese. They are seen playing baseball, singing sentimental songs, bravely and efficiently responding to an emergency, and in general not behaving like sub-human monsters.

Advertised to be CC and have bonus features, had the first but not the second.

Good war movie

This little-remembered submarine drama was one of Garner's first big movie-star roles. Made by Warner Bros., the fact that Garner was then starring in "Maverick" on tv is prominently mentioned on the original poster artwork for the film that is featured on the dvd cover and the trailer for the film (introduced by the then- young James Garner.)The bulk of the film is the submarine voyage taking Garner, an underwater demolitions expert and trained commando, to an island in Japanese territory where he is to retrieve some Japanese codebook. (Garner happens to speak Japanese as well.) The suspense is not only whether Garner will get what he came for, but whether the submarine Commander, Edmond O'Brien, will wait for him. To be honest the plot is fairly implausible. First of all, this is Garner's first mission and the mission seems next to impossible, you would think that the Navy would find a more experienced commando for the job. Secondly, submarine Commander O'Brien gives Garner a ridiculouly short amount of time to complete the mission. The part of the film where Garner gets to the island and sets about retrieving the codebook is suspenseful, but goes on much too long.Still this is a fairly well-done film with some good submarine action and nicely filmed in color. Some other members of the crew include Edward Byrnes, soon to be Warner Bros. teen idol as Kookie on "77 Sunset Strip," and New York Giant football star and future husband of Kathie Lee Gifford, Frank Gifford, as well as an unbilled Warren Oates. Two other actors associated with being at sea also appear as part of the crew: Alan Hale, Jr., the skipper of "Gilligan's Island" and Henry Kulky, who 6 years later would become part of another submarine crew as Chief Curly Jones, the CPO of the Seaview on the first season of "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." (Kulky passed away of a heart attack midway through his first and only season of Voyage.)If you have a couple hours to kill and want to relax through a fairly interesting W.W.II drama, you could do a lot worse than this film.

Most movies made since the 70s tend not to impress me al that much. Being a retired federal agent and former Vietnam combat veteran, this kind of movie tends to appeal to me.

Good movie, unique in plot with amicable cast. Nice to see supporting roles by a very young Warren Oates - Major Dundee, In the Heat Of The Night, The Wild Bunch, Dillinger, and Stripes. Edd 'Kookie' Byrnes of 77 Sunset Strip fame also in Rio Bravo, North To Alaska, and The Longest Day. Longtime character actor Alan Hale, jr. from I Wanted Wings, Destry, Hang 'Em High and, of course, 'The Skipper' from Gilligan's Island. Frank Gifford of football fame. Edmund O'Brien of Fighter Squadron, D.O.A., The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Birdman of Alcatraz, The Wild Bunch, and one of my personal favorite westerns 'Rio Conchos' also starring Richard Boone, Stuart Whitman & Tony Franciosa.The transfer to DVD was apparently made from the original negatives. In Technicolor(though not three-strip), in contrasts of light/shadow; the colors are bright, vivid, sharp, life-like and detailed, reminiscent of a time when attention to these and true color meant something. The sound was crisp, clean, clear monaural from the original audio track.Those at Warner Brothers responsible for this transfer deserve kudos for their efforts.

The two young lovers, caught up in a world war. How desperately Lieutenant Braden (James Garner) wants to marry the pretty Sally Johnson (Andra Martin). He's madly in love with her and cannot understand why she appears to feel the same way towards he, but keeps telling him to wait! The tears come flooding out of this most "female" lady and Braden is quite beside himself with passion, love and heartache! Little does he know that she has been sent on a secret assignment, to ensure his credentials are bona-fide, for a critical mission to capture a Japanese radio code.Without notice, he is whisked away from his new love to a dangerous and daring mission, which he has to go on alone; a mission that he is told he must not be caught undertaking!! A "strictly by the book" submarine commander seems determined to scupper his mission, by refusing to take the submarine near enough so the brave Lieutenant won't have too far to swim under water. However, after a few "home truths", a brave repair carried out underwater after an enemy air attack, a tragedy and a bit of plain bad luck, Commander Stevenson shows his human side; a side that has been masked by his huge responsibility and the reality of war. He isn't normally a risk taker, but the mission is vital and, aside from it all, he probably feels compassion for Braden.The film has a mixture of humour, tragedy and excitement. There is a considerably real feel, especially as the actual mission begins in earnest, with Braden on his own on a Japanese-controlled island. Whilst not being particularly "fast-paced", this does not detract from the film's qualities: it is an excellent story and one that is very plausible and certainly not dull or too slow. The story has to be told, not only of the mission, but of the very human lives of all involved, arriving at the destination, as well as the difficulties of living in the confined environment of a submarine.I admit to being a fan of both James Garner and Alan Hale Jr.; there is a definite "chemistry" between these two actors in this film and they compliment each other extremely well.Of course, there is a happy conclusion to this story! Even Malone (Alan Hale Jr.) is reunited with his "expendables" and, of course, the brave lieutenant is delivered back to the adoring gaze of his new-found love! (Sigh)Definitely an excellent adventure story, with a quality cast, good settings and just a hint of romance, which doesn't, in any way, detract from the main story. Enjoy!

Quite an old fashioned way of doing things that builds up to the crescendo that happens out of sight. I was very disappointed.

Looked for this film a long time worth the wait classic

very funny

Great