Talk:The Enemy Below

Untitled
Anybody want to compare it to other films dealing with convoy/ASW ops, like "The Cruel Sea"? Think it merits mention? Trekphiler 10:28, 15 December 2005 (UTC)
 * has anybody written anything about the movie, regardless of how the book reads, comparing it to the same episode in the Horatio Hornblower books that inspired ST:TOS Balance of Terror?

100.15.117.34 (talk) 23:24, 16 October 2023 (UTC)

The ship used in the movie
As evidenced by the name and number painted on the side, and the sillouette and information found in Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II  - was DE-181 USS Straub.

She was of the  Bostwick  Class, which was a sub-class of the  Buckley  Class. The primary difference between the two classes was the fact that the Buckleys  were Turbo-Electric, while the Bostwicks  were Diesel-Electric. This resulted in the fact that different fuel requirements existed, resulting in ships of different displacement and speed. The Bostwicks were six knots slower than the Buckleys, and yet were 200 Tons lighter in displacement.

Both classes were essentially identical, which is why the sub commander mis-identified her in the movie. The combined class was built during WW-II, and included 109 ships built. There were 52 Buckleys, and 57 Bostwicks. The Straub was one of 30 Bostwick ships built in 1943 by the Federal Ship Building & Dry Dock Company of Port Newark, New Jersey. She was launched on September 18, 1943, and was sold either to France or Brazil after the war. Her service speed was 19 Knots, while her Flank Speed was 20 Knots. SSG Cornelius Seon (Retired) 18:39, 8 July 2006 (UTC)

Differences between novel and film
Excellent summary.--Buckboard 06:10, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Nowhere is it mentioned that the idea for this film came from the battle between the USS Borie DD 215 and german U-boat U-405 on 1 Nov 1943 off the coast of Portugal. Bob maher is the authority on the Borie because he was on her that night of the battle and wrote a book "Sailors Journal into War", which I have read. My father was also a former crewmember of the Borie. A lot of Borie's crew died that night. Let's give them the credit they deserve. Let's tell everyone the movie is based on the Battle between the USS Borie (DD 215) and U-405. I think a remake of this movie should be made to correct history and give the accurate accounts of what happened. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.172.8.11 (talk) 15:04, 9 September 2008 (UTC)
 * Do you have any WP:Reliable sources to back up this claim? If not, bear in mind that Wikipedia is not a WP:MEMORIAL. Clarityfiend (talk) 05:40, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

I am currently reading a novel from author D.A. Rayner, which said to have been the base of the movie (and indeed the story is very similar. There are only minor differences, e.g. it involves a British destroyer instead of an American one). However, I don't find any mention of this novel in this article nor anywhere else. The novel is written in French and called "Torpilles sous l'Atlantique", which is also the title of the movie in its French version. The book does not mention and translator, as if it were an original French book. Any information about this novel? --CptNautilus, 29 March 2012-- — Preceding unsigned comment added by CptNautilus (talk • contribs) 17:37, 29 March 2012 (UTC)

Führer Befiehl, Wir Folgen - may not be an error after all
As a native speaker, I would like to comment that "Führer befiel, wir folgen" does not sound odd or wrong in a grammatical sense. In fact, googling the slogan reveals some original footage like this one: http://www.nazis.de/hitlerjugend_befiehl.jpg 84.56.158.111 13:13, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

Using Google Translate, the phrase "Führer befiehl wir folgen" translates to "Leader, command, we follow".

Eastwood
Clint Eastwood's appearance as an extra. Having watched this excellent film at least fifty times in the last 40 years, I keep telling myself that I'm nuts, but I believe that I'm seeing an un-credited Clint Eastwood among the crewman of the destroyer.

He has one line, wherein he reports readiness in a sector of the ship, (in a very distinctive Eastwood voice,) then I think I'm seeing him on deck with Mitchum and Hedison (in the background, with a Red helmet with a large yellow circle on the front with the following white painted letters and numbers "XIJ5"  and a microphone in his hand,)as they give commands to the depth charge team.

Looking in Eastwood's filmography, I see no mention of his participation in this film, probably because he did not have a starring role, or even billing. Anyone else think I'm crazy? Please comment...... I don't see that's it Clint CMSGT (ret) F. Oros USAF —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.141.92.9 (talk) 19:16, 4 April 2008 (UTC)


 * I see the actor you are talking about and it is not Clint. 2600:8805:7F80:0:D0B5:107B:F261:8A74 (talk) 12:14, 8 August 2022 (UTC)

Sorry, the crewman described does not look like or sound like Clint Eastwood. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 47.148.48.225 (talk) 18:00, 15 October 2020 (UTC)

Prussia?
What is the wikiproject for former countries doing here? I don't recall anything connected to Prussia. Clarityfiend (talk) 21:07, 24 August 2011 (UTC)