ALL SCI-FI

[Bud Brewster]

I love movies about submarines, and on Nov 11th I saw one of the best ones ever made, Hell Below [1933). After watching it, I submitted this trivia item to IMDB.
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Made during the heyday of remarkable special effects using miniatures to depict planes, ships, and submarines, this film is notable for presenting a long and exciting sea battle between an American submarine, a German mine layer, several German biplanes, and a bomber.

All the vessels and aircraft were real, with the fighter planes diving at the submarine repeatedly while an actual ship slowly sinks nearby after being torpedoed. The entire segment is jaw dropping because of its total realism. One fighter is shown plunging into the ocean, presumably after the stunt pilot bailed out.

The scene was filmed from both camera boats and camera planes, so the audience is treated to aerial shots from ABOVE the aircraft which are making strafing runs on the submarine far below. It’s an astounding example of filmmaking.
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The entire scene is ten minutes long, but it’s so packed with amazing moments it seems much longer — and it was all filmed at sea with a real submarine, six fighter planes, a bi-wing bomber, and a German mine layer that is actually sunk for the film!

I can’t find a source for a DVD of the movie, but I’d buy if I could. And then I'd make a few screen shots of the battle's aerial footage, with the camera plane flying ABOVE both the submarine AND the fighters as they made strafing runs on the submarine.

The character stories are terrific, too. Two of the crewmen are played by Eugene Pallette and Jimmy Durante. Both Robert Young and Robert Montgomery play officers aboard the sub.

And wait ‘till you see a boxing matching between Jimmy Durante and a trained kangaroo wearing boxing gloves who beats the crap out of poor Jimmy!



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)