Run Silent, Run Deep
A movie's lasting value can often be measured by its influence in the  years and  decades following its original release, and on that basisRun Silent, Run Deepis certainly a classic of sorts. It remains one of the seminal World War II submarine  pictures, and its intelligent script and tautly executed action are clearly echoed in such  later submarine dramas asDas Bootand especiallyCrimson Tide,  which borrows liberally from this 1958 film.In one of his best and final roles (he appeared in only four films after this), Clark Gable plays a submarine captain without a command, having been saddled  with a desk job after his previous ship was destroyed due to his overzealous pursuit  of the enemy in dangerous Japanese waters. He finally gets another boat--this time  with a vigilant first officer (Burt Lancaster), who stands poised to assume command if  Gable puts his crew in unnecessary danger. The tension and mutual respect between  these two principled men is superbly written and directed (Robert Wise was just two  years away from his triumph withWest Side Story), and the crucial inclusion  of a strong supporting cast (including Jack Warden and Don Rickles) enhances the  movie's compelling authenticity. Based on a novel by former submarine commander  Edward L. Beach,Run Silent, Run Deepis rousing entertainment with the  added benefit of paying honorable tribute to the men who navigated through the most  frightening and claustrophobic channels of the Pacific theater.--Jeff Shannon