Action in the North Atlantic (1943)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Lloyd Bacon
(more)

Writers:

John Howard Lawson (screenplay)
Guy Gilpatric (story)
(more)

Release Date:

12 June 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

Warner Bros. thunderous story of the men of the merchant marine!

Plot:

Lieutenant Joe Rossi is 1st Officer on a Liberty Ship in a great convoy bound from Halifax to Murmansk...

Plot Keywords:

Convoy | North Atlantic | Attack | U Boat | Camaraderie

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Lt. Joe Rossi
Raymond Massey	...	Capt. Steve Jarvis
Alan Hale	...	Boats O'Hara
Julie Bishop	...	Pearl O'Neill
Ruth Gordon	...	Mrs. Sarah Jarvis
Sam Levene	...	Abel 'Chips' Abrams
Dane Clark	...	Johnnie Pulaski
Peter Whitney	...	Whitey Lara
Dick Hogan	...	Cadet Robert Parker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Virginia Christine	...	Pebbles (scenes deleted)
Robert Mitchum
Ray Montgomery	...	Aherne (replaced by Tod Andrews) (scenes deleted)
Louis Adlon	...	German Ensign (uncredited)
Iris Adrian	...	Jenny O'Hara (uncredited)
Frank Alten	...	German (uncredited)
Kirk Alyn	...	Brazilian Gun Captain (uncredited)
C.E. Anderson	...	Bearded Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Tod Andrews	...	Ahearn (uncredited)
Louis V. Arco	...	Submarine Commander (uncredited)
Warren Ashe	...	U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Hooper Atchley	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Leah Baird	...	Mother (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard	...	Ed (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone	...	U.S. Commander (uncredited)
Sven Hugo Borg	...	Norwegian Seaman (uncredited)
Chick Chandler	...	Goldberg (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Alex Chivra	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Signal Man (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	McGonigle (uncredited)
Hal Craig	...	Ship's Officer (uncredited)
Albert D'Arno	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
George Davis	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
Janna DeLoos	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Jean Del Val	...	Captain La Pricor (uncredited)
Eddie Dew	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Donald Douglas	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Warren Douglas	...	Navy Pilot (uncredited)
Arthur Dulac	...	French Seaman (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Quartermaster (uncredited)
Carl Ekberg	...	Dutch Seaman (uncredited)
John Epper	...	German Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Lieutenant-Commander of Merchant Marine School (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	German (uncredited)
Ross Ford	...	Ensign Speaker (uncredited)
William Forrest	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Art Foster	...	Pete Larson (uncredited)
Eddie Foster	...	American Seaman (uncredited)
Arno Frey	...	German Pilot (uncredited)
Hans Fuerberg	...	German Officer (uncredited)
Frederick Giermann	...	German Submarine Captain (uncredited)
Christine Gordon	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Kit Guard	...	Unemployed Seaman (uncredited)
Henry Guttman	...	Nazi Submarine Officer (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Loudmouth Saloon Customer (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Sparks (uncredited)
Lew Hicks	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
William Hopper	...	Canadian Soldier (uncredited)
Ted Jacques	...	Ship's Officer (uncredited)
Lew Kelly	...	Tony Gonzales (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Joe (uncredited)
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Caviar Jinks (uncredited)
Victor Kilian Jr.	...	U.S. Navy Petty Officer (uncredited)
George Kirby	...	Pilot Johnson (uncredited)
Kurt Kreuger	...	German U-Boat Sailor on microphone (uncredited)
Glenn Langan	...	Gun Crewman (uncredited)
Rolf Lindau	...	Radio Operator on Submarine (uncredited)
Manuel López	...	Mexican Seaman (uncredited)
Anthony Marsh	...	English Gun Captain (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Major / Seaman (uncredited)
Clyde McAtee	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Charles McMurphy	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Edwin Mills	...	Naval Radio Operator (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Dennis Moore	...	Signal Man (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Rudolf Myzet	...	Russian Seaman (uncredited)
George N. Neise	...	German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Kurt Neumann	...	German (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Bob O'Connor	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Gene O'Donnell	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Cecil (uncredited)
George O'Hanlon	...	Navy Pilot (uncredited)
Paul Panzer	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Lieutenant-Commander (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	German Sailor (uncredited)
Russ Powell	...	'Slops' Denton (uncredited)
Hugh Prosser	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Frank Puglia	...	Captain Carpolis (uncredited)
Pedro Regas	...	Greek Seaman (uncredited)
Otto Reichow	...	German Petty Officer (uncredited)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Kane Richmond	...	Ensign Wright (uncredited)
Walter Rode	...	Russian Air Force Captain (uncredited)
Cliff Saum	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink	...	German (uncredited)
Hans Schumm	...	Lieutenant Commander (uncredited)
Harry Seymour	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
George Sherwood	...	German (uncredited)
Walter Soderling	...	Pop (uncredited)
George Sorel	...	German Bombardier (uncredited)
Ludwig Stössel	...	Capt. Ziemer (uncredited)
Glenn Strange	...	Jake (uncredited)
Leo Sulky	...	Unemployed Seaman (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan	...	Hennessy (uncredited)
Sigurd Tor	...	Helmsman (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Rear Admiral Hartridge (uncredited)
Peter van Eyck	...	German Ensign (uncredited)
Roland Varno	...	Gunnery Captain (uncredited)
Wilhelm von Brincken	...	German Sub Captain (uncredited)
Hans von Morhart	...	German (uncredited)
Minor Watson	...	Rear Admiral Williams (uncredited)
Dick Wessel	...	Cherub Joe (uncredited)
John Whitney	...	U.S. Sailor (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Ensign - Convoy Speaker (uncredited)
Tom Wilson	...	Bar Customer (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Lt. Commander at Meeting (uncredited)
Jack Wise	...	Dispatcher (uncredited)
Jack Young	...	President Franklin D. Roosevelt (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Lloyd Bacon
Byron Haskin		(uncredited)
Raoul Walsh		(uncredited)

Writing credits
John Howard Lawson		(screenplay)
Guy Gilpatric		(story)
A.I. Bezzerides		(additional dialogue) &
W.R. Burnett		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Adolph Deutsch
William Lava		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Ted D. McCord		(director of photography) (as Ted McCord)

Film Editing by
George Amy
Thomas Pratt		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Ted Smith

Set Decoration by
Clarence Steensen

Costume Design by
Milo Anderson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ridgeway Callow	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Elmer Decker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.A. Riggs	....	sound

Special Effects by
Jack Cosgrove	....	special effects director
Edwin B. DuPar	....	special effects
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Jerome Moross	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
James Leicester	....	montages
Don Siegel	....	montages
Harold Winston	....	dialogue director

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (as Warner Bos. Pictures, Inc)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1944) (France) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (video)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #8706) | Australia:G (TV rating) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Director Lloyd Bacon's contract with Warner Bros. expired during production. Jack L. Warner told him, "Finish the picture and we'll talk about it," but Bacon wasn't willing to continue without a contract. Warner fired him and brought in Byron Haskin to finish the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Guide wires are visible on the submarines and torpedoes.

Quotes:

Lt. Joe Rossi: These nights are killers, aren't they?
Cadet Robert Parker: Yeah, I lie in my bunk with my clothes on and try to sleep, but every time that engine slows, my heart speeds up. In time, I think I can train myself to have an iron nerve, like you have.
Lt. Joe Rossi: Yeah, let me tell you something about my "iron nerve," son. It's made of rubber just like everybody else's, so it'll stretch when you need it. People got a funny idea that being brave is not being scared. I don't know, I always figured, you weren't scared, there's nothing to be brave about. The trick is, how much scaring can you take? I got an idea you can take plenty.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Warner at War (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus

Great story of Merchant Mariners as service and individuals

I am a proud graduate of the U.S.Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point.I am also a retired US Navy Captain. The screening of "Action in the North Atlantic" was an annual event at Kings Point, since one of the characters was a Cadet serving sea time as part of his training. Cadet Parker well represents the 142 Cadet-Midshipman who were killed in action in WWII (Kings point is only Federal academy which is thus authorized to carry a Battle flag with their color guard.) The characters are real and Warner Bros. could not have picked a better cast. This movie was and is only one of a handful which tried to show the contribution of the merchant marine during the war. I particularly liked the scene where Alan Hale tries to explain to a couple of his shipmates the meaning of the word "rendezvous". They don't make 'em like that any more. I still watch this flic every time it screens.