What ship was used to film the enemy below?
destroyer escort USS Whitehurst
The American ship used in this movie was the destroyer escort USS Whitehurst (DE 634). It was sunk as a target for a new torpedo on 28 April 1971. Two endings were shot: In one, both commanders die; in the other, a third vessel rescues them. The final ending was determined by preview results.
Did U-boats have to surface to fire?
And it must have done so on the surface of the water, where it was able to travel at a faster speed than the ships it pursued. By approaching from astern, where the lookouts rarely checked, the U-boat would be able to slip inside the convoy undetected, fire at close range, then submerge in order to get away.
How many American ships were sunk by German U-boats in ww2?
549
5 nations hit the hardest
| Country | Ships hit |
|---|---|
| American | 549 |
| Norwegian | 314 |
| Dutch | 137 |
| Greek | 124 |
Was the enemy below based on a true story?
The Enemy Below is a story of a battle at sea, written by Denys Rayner. It is fiction, but based on the author’s experiences during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
Who played the German captain in the enemy below?
During the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, two equally able captains on opposing sides square off in a life-and-death game of tactical maneuvering. American Capt. Murrell (Robert Mitchum) helms the destroyer USS Haynes, while his Nazi counterpart, Von Stolberg (Curt Jurgens), commands a German U-boat.
How long is the movie The Enemy Below?
1h 38m
The Enemy Below/Running time
How long would a German U-boat stay underwater?
The Germans’ most formidable naval weapon was the U-boat, a submarine far more sophisticated than those built by other nations at the time. The typical U-boat was 214 feet long, carried 35 men and 12 torpedoes, and could travel underwater for two hours at a time.
How deep could a ww2 U-boat dive?
200 to 280 metres
World War II German U-boats generally had collapse depths of 200 to 280 metres (660 to 920 feet).
What is the movie Enemy Below about?
During the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II, two equally able captains on opposing sides square off in a life-and-death game of tactical maneuvering. American Capt. Murrell (Robert Mitchum) helms the destroyer USS Haynes, while his Nazi counterpart, Von Stolberg (Curt Jurgens), commands a German U-boat. As both men follow their orders, they push their crews to greater lengths to achieve victory. Over the course of the intense battle, a respect develops among enemies.
The Enemy Below/Film synopsis
When was the enemy below made?
December 25, 1957 (USA)
The Enemy Below/Release date
How long could WWII submarines stay submerged?
After 48 hours, it would be unbearable and you would have to surface. The World War II submarine that had the longest possible underwater endurance was the German Type 21. It could stay down for up to 75 hours, which gives you a tad over 3 days.
What is the movie The Enemy Below about?
The Enemy Below is a 1957 DeLuxe Color war film in CinemaScope, which tells the story of the battle between an American destroyer escort and a German U-boat during World War II. The movie stars Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens as the American and German commanding officers, respectively, and was directed and produced by Dick Powell.
Was there ever a battle between a destroyer and a submarine?
Though “The Enemy Below” is a story about a single destroyer against a U-Boat, in the history of World War Two naval warfare there was never a battle between a single destroyer against a submarine for a long period of time.
What is the oldest movie about the German U-boat crew?
For comments and statistics on the survival chances of German U-boat crews, watch Das Boot and The Eagle Has Landed. I always thought Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster), was the older movie because it was in black and white while this was in color.
What happened to the U-boat in World War II?
During World War II, an American destroyer discovers a German U-boat, thus ensuing in a deadly duel between the two ships. The American Captain must draw upon all his experience to defeat the equally experienced German commander.