Main Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey, Ruth Gordon, Alan Hale, Julie Bishop
Release Year: 1943
Country: US
Run Time: 126 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
Action in the North Atlantic is solid wartime propaganda with a rather endearing inner lining of left-wing politics, courtesy (no doubt) of scenarist John Howard Lawson, who based his screenplay on a novel by maritime specialist Guy Gilpatric. While running war goods to America's Russian allies, a merchant marine ship captained by Raymond Massey is torpedoed. The courage of Massey and his first mate Humphrey Bogart serves as an inspiration to the survivors, who manage to navigate their tiny lifeboat to America, where they are lauded as heroes. After only the briefest of compassionate leaves (Massey is reunited with wife Ruth Gordon, while Bogart strikes up a relationship with Julie Bishop), the crew is assigned a new Liberty Ship. Despite fears of being torpedoed again, Massey, Bogart, and the other men successfully bring their cargo to Russia, shooting down several German planes in the process. As the Americans are cheered on by the smiling, well-fed Russian seamen and peasants, Action in the North Atlantic fades out, with the voice of Franklin D. Roosevelt (actually radio announcer Art Gilmore) heard on the soundtrack encouraging a "United Nations" allegiance against the axis. The supporting cast of Action in the North Atlantic includes a young newcomer by the name of Bernard Zanville, whose billing was changed to "Dane Clark" upon the film's release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Ted Smith - Art Director, Milo Anderson - Costume Designer, Lloyd Bacon - Director, George J. Amy - Editor, Thomas Pratt - Editor, Adolph Deutsch - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Perc Westmore - Makeup, Ted D. McCord - Cinematographer, Jerry Wald - Producer, Clarence I. Steensen - Set Designer, Jack Cosgrove - Special Effects, Edwin DuPar - Special Effects, A.I. Bezzerides - Screenwriter, W.R. Burnett - Screenwriter, John Howard Lawson - Screenwriter, Guy Gilpatric - Short Story Author
The cargo ship commanded by Captain Steve Jarvis (Raymond Massey) is sunk in the north Atlantic Ocean by a German U-boat. He and his first officer and friend, Lieutenant Joe Rossi (Humphrey Bogart), make it to a lifeboat along with other crewmen. When the Germans start filming their plight, they respond with rude gestures and are rammed. The men swim to a raft and are rescued after 11 days adrift.
The convoy is attacked by a wolf pack. There are losses on both sides, but the convoy commander is forced to order his ships to disperse. One persistent U-boat chases after Steve's ship, but loses contact in the night. Two Luftwaffeflying boats find the freighter and attack. Both are shot down, but the second crashes into the bow. Steve is shot in the leg during the battle; Joe has to take command. The U-boat sights the ship again and hits her with a torpedo. Joe orders the men to set fires and make smoke so that it appears as if the ship is sinking. When the submarine surfaces to finish her off, Joe rams and sinks it. The freighter then limps into Murmansk to a warm Russian welcome.
In addition, Robert Mitchum appeared in a one-line role.
Production
This film has a famous back-story; watching their stunt men performing a dive off a burning ship, Bogie and Massey, both a bit intoxicated (being 'off-duty'), started making bets on which stunt man was braver...one thing led to another, until the stars, themselves, made the dive.
Authentic German and Soviet airplanes and language were used in the film, a rare occurrence in movies of this era.
Trivia
The DVD box says the merchant marine used this movie as a recruiting tool.
References
^Higham, Charles; Greenberg, Joel (1968). Hollywood in the Forties. London: A. Zwemmer Limited. p. 96. ISBN Not Given.
