| Cast overview: | |||
| Gary Cooper | ... |
Lt. John W. Harkness
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| Jane Greer | ... |
Ellie C. Harkness
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| Millard Mitchell | ... |
George Larrabee
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| Eddie Albert | ... |
Lt. Bill Barron
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| John McIntire | ... |
Cmdr. W. R. Reynolds
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| Ray Collins | ... |
Rear Adm. L. C. Tennant
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| Harry von Zell | ... |
Capt. 'Danny' Eliot
(as Harry Von Zell)
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| Jack Webb | ... |
Ens. Anthony 'Tony' Barbo
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| Richard Erdman | ... |
Ens. Chuck Dorrance
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| Harvey Lembeck | ... |
Norelli
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Henry Slate | ... |
Chief Engineer Ryan
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| Ed Begley | ... |
Port Commander
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When Lt. John Harknesshe, a 90 day wonder with an engineering degree, is assigned as the new skipper of submarine chaser equipped with an experimental steam engine, he hopes that the U.S.S. Teakettle's veterans will afford him enough help to accomplish the ship's goals. Unfortunately he finds the crew and its officers share his novice status or only have experience in diesel engines. Written by [email protected]
I have always enjoyed this film for its humor and human characterizations. Men taken from their homes and jobs and suddenly finding themselves in a new and unfamiliar setting is always cause for confusion and misunderstanding. This film does an excellent effort at showing how men can respond to those challenges. Yet does so with wit and intelligence.
There is no goof section for this movie so I want to tell of two that I noticed. In one scene the crew is exercising weapons practice. On the bridge acting as communications man is Lee Marvin. When the command to drop a depth charge is given the command is received by Lee Marvin as the stern communications man. On the building behind the dock where the ship is berthed appears the sign "We Built for Victory." Obviously a post-war addition.