SUBMARINE DL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 15

SUBMARINE DL

There have been submarine pictures before, but not one of them has approached the technical excellence of "Submarine Dl," the film of American navy life which opens tomorrow at the St. James Theatre. In this picture the humour and drama of the submarine service is accompanied by a detailed study of the work of the men of the undersea boats. "Submarine Dl" is the story of rivalry for a girl's love, of the effort of a new submarine crew to live up to the traditions of the service, of failure and success, and of a final dramatic mishap and rescue. One witnesses the men being trained in their first escape up a high water-filled tower, then taking the submarine on her first dive; they are seen on manoeuvres, evading a screen of light craft and attacking battleships, then struck by the keel of a cruiser and sent to the bottom from which, by dint of heroic efforts, they are brought up. The famous escape apparatus is shown in action, and also a diving bell which acts to rescue an injured officer who cannot come up at the slow rate demanded of men who wish to emerge from great depths and keep their lives. The whole film is intensely interesting and its revelations of the intricacies of life in the submarine service are interwoven with drama and laughter in such a way that it is • a film to be remembered. Few people will forget the fate of "Lucky's" lottery ticket, or the fight at Panama where he buys the winning number, or the penetration of the destroyer screen, while the final scenes of tense drama keep one in breathless suspense. Pat O'Brien scores in the leading role, with Wayne Morris (of "Kid Galahad") playing a part at first unsympathetic and later heroic. The chief feminine role is given to Doris Weston, a newcomer of fresh beauty, and Frank McHugh has charge of the comedy. George Brent is prominently cast. Some time ago Mr. Len H. Roos, tlie "Warner Bros.-First National colour cameraman toured this country collecting material for use in 'shorts on New Zealand. The first of these "Long Bright Land," is now m this country, and will be shown on the same programme as "Submarine Dl.