1950s SF film

[peteryoung]

The Atomic Submarine, 1959, USA   DIRECTED BY SPENCER GORDON BENNET
Made back in the day when nuclear subs were a novel idea, this film even encapsulates the notion that in the near future they'll be carrying passengers under the Arctic ice cap (no such luck). The publicity this film received gave the public the impression it was more of a military adventure than a science fiction movie, and the skiffy plot only emerges half way through; this probably left its audiences a bit baffled as they were given no indication that they were paying to see an alien invasion film, and a pretty minor one at that. All in all, it's pretty unconvincingly done, especially the underwater confrontation with the macho-sounding, cyclops-like alien in his/its flying saucer, who was only identified and chased beneath the Arctic ice via the unlikeliest series of logical deductions. Even though it's clear the producers had invested heavily in some passable special effects for the day (the atmospheric shots of the sub under the ice cap are decent enough) it's the lack of a cohesive screenplay that lets the whole thing down, the only interesting aspect ultimately being the distrustful relationship between Commander Holloway and the pacifist scientist Dr. Neilson who accompanies the mission. Neilson provided a good counterbalance for the more predominant militarism of the film; he gets reconciled with Holloway well enough at the end even though I find it unfortunate that he had to realise his pacifism was misplaced and the aggression justified, a resolution that felt far too simplistic. Not a great movie, but still a worthwhile stab at making science and technology entertaining.

Comments

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?

[godelescherbach.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I have only the vaguest recollection of this flick, but I wonder if Irwin Allen saw it and used it in developing "Voyage tot he Bottom of the Sea"--certainly enough aliens showed up in the series!

Re: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?

[peteyoung.livejournal.com]

I see there is actually a connection, so very probably he did – this from Wikipedia:

Coincidentally, Arthur Franz, who played Cmdr. Holloway in The Atomic Submarine, guest starred on an episode of Irwin Allen's 1964 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea television series.