Frogmen

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Movie
German title Frogmen
Original title The Frogmen
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1951
length 95 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Lloyd Bacon
script John Tucker Battle
production Samuel G. Engel
music Cyril J. Mockridge
camera Norbert Brodine
cut William H. Reynolds
occupation

Frogmen is an American war film directed by Lloyd Bacon in 1951. The script is based on a story by Oscar Millard . The film had its cinema premiere in Germany on January 13, 1953. Froschmann is an older term for a combat swimmer .

action

The Second World War is being waged with relentless severity in the South Pacific. United States Navy's No. 4 Underwater Sabotage Team loses its Commander Jack Cassidy in a mission. The disciplined Lieutenant Commander John Lawrence takes command of the 30-man squad. Lawrence's reserve makes the men suspicious at first, but slowly the relationship begins to improve. Only when a fight breaks out between the divers and sailors do the men on the team feel they have been treated unfairly by Lawrence, who clearly shows his disapproval. The captain of the ship the crew had fought with, Lieutenant Commander Pete Vincent, tells Lawrence to take it easy. The men go on life-threatening missions to prepare for landing operations and need an outlet to relieve their tension. Lawrence remains adamant, however, which embitters his team.

For a reconnaissance mission, he divides the squad into two groups. Jake Flannigan is in command of the squad that has to do the more dangerous part of the mission. During the mission to prepare for landing on a Japanese-held island, Lawrence injured himself on some corals. In addition, one of the boats that is supposed to pick up the men runs into a coral bank and sinks. Flannigan and the wounded soldier Kinsella stayed behind in the water. Lawrence orders his skipper to return to the mothership to deliver the important information first. Another boat picks up the two castaways. The men of the unit are enraged by the apparent heartlessness of their commander, and many want to be transferred to other units, including Flannigan. But Lawrence insists on completing the mission so that the island can be stormed by American troops.

The next morning, Lawrence fell ill and the poison from the coral on which he injured his leg was showing its effects. Showing no sign of illness to his men, he puts Flannigan in command of the mission and remains behind. The men believe Lawrence is a coward and angrily but successfully carry out their mission. Creighton was shot by a Japanese sniper while he was installing a sign for the American landing forces on the beach. Flannigan pulls him into the recording boat, the men return to the ship. The Japanese bullet is stuck in Creighton's spine, so that it has to be transported to the Navy Hospital. This leads to further arguments between Lawrence and Flannigan, which leads the men of the unit to ask for a transfer.

During a meeting between Lawrence and Vincent, the subject of which is the veneration of the previous Commander Cassidy by his men, the ship is hit by a torpedo. The torpedo does not explode, however, but only comes to a stop in the medical area - right next to Creighton's bed. Lawrence's men can defuse the torpedo. Shortly thereafter, Lawrence was ordered to destroy a Japanese submarine base. Lawrence explains to his people that this will be the last job they will do together, since he himself has asked for his transfer. He was proud of his people. Flannigan thinks Lawrence wants to stay behind, but the Commander leads the mission himself. When one of the divers touches a signal wire, the Japanese are alarmed. American divers are shot at, Japanese divers soon attack and a man-to-man fight ensues underwater. Lawrence is seriously injured by his opponent. He orders Flannigan to leave him behind so as not to hinder his people's escape. Flannigan defies orders and pulls Lawrence to safety. The mission is a success.

Lawrence arrives at the hospital with Creighton by his side. His men now respect him, especially since he co-signed a portrait of Cassidy that the men commissioned for his widow.

Reviews

"Average war adventure, well cast and with remarkable underwater shots for the time it was made."

- Lexicon of international film

"Tightly staged, realistic."

- Cinema

Awards

Academy Awards 1952

background

The Underwater Demolition Team UDT-4 served as a model for this production by 20th Century Fox . This team was used in the invasion of the Philippines and the islands of Guam , Saipan and Okinawa . UDTs have been trained and used since 1943 to prepare for landing operations. In 1961 the internationally known special unit Navy Seals was formed .

Director Bacon fell ill with the flu while filming. During his illness, assistant director Dick Mayberry took over the line. Roy Del Ruth directed an hour-long TV remake of the film in 1957, entitled Deep Water, starring Ralph Meeker and James Whitmore .

For Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Wagner it was the fourth role in a feature film, for Warren Stevens the second, although his role in the first film was not mentioned in the credits. Jack Warden had an unmentioned appearance as a team member in this film , his third feature in a feature film.

Aside from Mayberry, assistant director was Robert D. Webb , who was honored with an Oscar in this capacity in 1938. For the film equipment were u. a. the multiple Oscar winner Lyle R. Wheeler as Art Director and Thomas Little as Set Decorator. Roger Heman Sr. provided the sound and Fred Sersen provided the special effects. The costumes were the responsibility of Charles LeMaire. The musical director was Lionel Newman.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Frogmen. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 26, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ↑ http://www.cinema.de/kino/filmarchiv/film/froschmaenner,1336583,ApplicationMovie.html

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