The new commander of a Navy Underwater Demolition Team--nicknamed "Frogmen"--must earn the respect of the men in his unit, who are still grieving over the death of their former commander and resentful of the new one.
Practical Effects
Actual underwater demolition footage—no tanks, real ocean, real danger.
Acting
Richard Widmark's twitchy intensity vs. Robert Wagner's golden boy smirk.
Director
Lloyd Bacon
Richard Widmark
Lt. Cmdr. John Lawrence
Robert Wagner
Lt. (jg) Franklin
Dana Andrews
Jake Flannigan
Gary Merrill
Lt. Cmdr. Pete Vincent
Jeffrey Hunter
Pappy Creighton
Warren Stevens
Hodges
Harvey Lembeck
Marvin W. 'Canarsie' Mikowsky
Robert Rockwell
Lt. Bill Doyle
Henry Slate
Sleepy
Robert Adler
Chief Ryan
Parley Baer
Dr. Ullman
William Bishop
Ferrino
James Gregory
Chief Petty Officer Lane
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Hollywood's first major portrayal of UDT teams, released just six years after WWII ended when these units were still classified.
Richard Widmark hated water and couldn't swim—every underwater shot is a double or dry-for-wet staging, which makes his character's aquatic competence unintentionally hilarious.
US
