This reviewer is always a sucker for a submarine flick. Don’t know why since I really wouldn’t want to go down 20,000 leagues in one. This is a fine one from the WWII school of sub movies.
Up Periscope! pretty much follows the playbook set out by other submarine flicks, but still manages to entertain.
Lt. Ken Braden (James “Maverick” Garner) is having a seaside romance when he proposes to his girl Sally (Andra Martin). She does not react in the way that he expects her to. He’s suddenly sent to Pearl Harbor to get his next assignment and finds out that his girl was actually undercover to find out if he was fit for the job. He also finds out that she’s fallen in love with him, but didn’t accept his proposal because of her conflict of interest in evaluating him for the mission.
Braden conducts some beach research with Sally
He’s going to be put aboard the USS Barracuda and sent to a Japanese occupied island to photograph a secret code book. The Barracuda is skippered by Commander Paul Stevenson (Edmund O’Brien) who has become known for being a stickler to “the book.” His crew thinks that his inability to think outside the box cost them a crewmate on their last mission.
Also on board is the jovial Lt. Pal Malone (Alan Hale, Jr.), Ensign Cy Mount (a young Frank Gifford), and Seaman Kovaks (an un-credited Warren Oates). Commander Stevenson continues to follow “the book” and the crew and Lt. Braden begin to wonder if that devotion will cost another life on the mission that Braden has been assigned to do.
Up Periscope! is another in a long line of submarine yarns inspired by the brave crews that cruised beneath the waves during World War II. James “Maverick” Garner was hot off the success of some television show, now what was the name? Oh yeah, Maverick.
Every bit of promotional material on the disc happens to mention this, even the theatrical trailer mentions it. Talk about cross promotion. Not only does this future TV vet have a prominent role, but the Skipper from Gillian’s Island is onboard as well. Alan Hale, Jr. portrays the gent with three girls waiting for him in Pearl (Harbor that is). He adds a bit of comic relief to the spy mission suspense.
Warren Oates also makes an appearance in this function as the always eating Seaman Kovaks. This was his first big screen role and we see hints of what was to come as Oates would become a beloved character actor. Football star Frank Gifford, who these days is know more for being married to Kathy Lee Gifford, also has a cameo.
Up Periscope! is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. The only special feature is the film’s theatrical “Maverick” trailer.
Lt. Braden and Lt. Malone meet at Pearl, along with Malone's gals
Up Periscope! pretty much follows the playbook set out by other submarine flicks, but still manages to entertain. James Garner is his usual appealing self and the supporting cast livens things up. Fans of the genre will be glad to have it on DVD finally and both Garner and Oates fans will be glad to be able to finally see it.
Up Periscope! is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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