U-571 (2000)

MORGAN'S RATING

Jonathan Mostow's entertaining and gripping  World War II submarine thriller about a crew of inexperienced American mariners forced to pilot the disabled German U-boat through hostile waters delivers plenty of action while paying homage to such war genre greats as Das Boot. Matthew McConaughey leads the rag tag American crew as Lt. Andrew Tyler, a young officer determined to prove himself a capable leader after being denied command of his own ship.

Matthew McConaughey (Lt. Andrew Tyler), Bill Paxton (Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren), Harvey Keitel (Chief Petty Officer Henry Klough), Jon Bon Jovi (Lt. Pete Emmett), David Keith (Marine Major Matthew Coonan), Thomas Kretschmann (Kapitanlieutentant Gunther Wassner), Jake Weber (Naval Reserve Lt. Hirsch), Jack Noseworthy (Seaman Bill Wentz, Radioman), Tom Guiry (Seaman Ted 'Trigger' Parker), Terrence 'T.C' Carson (Steward Eddie Carson), Erik Palladino (Seaman Anthony Mazzola), Dave Power (Seaman Charles 'Tank' Clemens), Derk Cheetwood (Seaman Herb Griggs), Matthew Settle (Ensign Keith Larson), Rebecca Tilney (Mrs. Dahlgren), Carolyna De Laurentiis (Prudence Dahlgren), Dina De Laurentiis (Louise Dahlgren), Burnell Tucker (Admiral Duke), Rob Allyn (Ensign), Gunter Wurger (Lt. Kohl).

HEROES ARE ORDINARY MEN WHO DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3). WRITERS: Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery and David Ayer. PRODUCERS: Dino De Laurentiis and Martha Schumacher. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Hal Lieberman. LINE PRODUCER: Lucio Trentini. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Richard Marvin. DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures.

QUOTES

Marine Maj. Coonan: How far down does this ship go? Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren: Oh, she'll go all the way to the bottom if we don't stop her.

Chief Klough: You're the skipper now. The skipper always knows what to do, even when he doesn't.

Eddie: [To captured German submariners.] What's the matter, ain't you ever seen a black man before? Get used to it.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: April 21st, 2000 (USA) DVD RELEASE DATE: October 24th, 2000 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $19.5 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $79.0 million (USA) BUDGET: $62 million (USA) - The caption before the end credits, detailing the fact that the Royal Navy captured the first Enigma machine, was only added after an outcry in Britian, where it was believed that Hollywood was trying to claim credit for the Americans (whose forces captured no German Navel Enigma material at all). - The Enigma machine used in the movie was genuine and not a prop. It was obtained from a collector for use in the film. - In reality, the submarine U-571 was never actually captured. The submarines U-570 and U-110 were the ones captured with the codebooks but by the British Navy in August 1941; four months before the United States entered the war! - The water scenes for this film were filmed at St. Paul's Bay, Malta. - Winner of one 2001 Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing. Nominated for one 2001 Academy Award for Best Sound.

[During a depth charge attack.] Lt. Andrew Tyler: Mister Hirsch, step away from that bulkhead. The shockwave from one of these explosions could snap your spine.

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"So very few films live up to that kind of exaggerated billing. The claustrophobic submarine drama, U-571, happens to be one of them." -- John Paul Powell, JAM! Movies

"A strange volatile mix of history and movie cliches." -- Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

"High marks for tension and excitement." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

"U-571 is bombastic and anonymous." -- Charles Taylor, Salon.Com

"U-571 moves like a torpedo." Sean Means, Film.Com

"The submarine goes deep but the story never does." -- Todd McCarthy, Variety

"Represents the return of something that I'd feared was gone for good: the inspired genre magician." -- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly