Number 52 on IMDb's Top 250
The movie is the story of a single mission of one U-boat and its crew, following U-96 from its departure from La Rochelle, France, through its patrols in the North Atlantic and an attempted penetration of the Mediterranean, to its return to La Rochelle. It depicts both the excitement of battle and the tedium of the fruitless hunt, and portrays the men serving aboard U-boats as ordinary individuals with a desire to do their best for their comrades and their country, while all the time attempting to let hilarity ensue.
Trivia: The bulk of the film's $15 million budget was spent on constructing U-boats. Specifications for the original Type VII-C U-boat were found at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The plans were taken to the original builder of the subs, who was commissioned to build a full-sized, sea-going replica, their first such assignment since the war ended. A second full-sized model was built for interior filming. One day the crew showed up on the location of the full-sized, sea-going replica, only to find it gone. It seams another studio had rented it for the day to film a few quick scenes for their movie. What was their movie? Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
The movie has a strong anti-war message. One of Director Wolfgang Petersen's stated goals was to guide the audience through a "journey into madness," showing "what war is all about." He did that and at the same time made maybe the best submarine movie ever. At times there was general boredom, at others, shear unadulterated tension and terror. The best part was that the movie was filmed completely within the confines of the U-boat (no moving walls to gain easier access for cameras). This gave the movie it's claustrophobic feel. Also, you only hear the attacks on the U-boat by the British destroyers from inside the boat, which added to the tension.
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