The Atomic Submarine (1959)

Director:

Spencer Gordon Bennet

Writer:

Orville H. Hampton (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

29 November 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

"Our fleet of atomic submarines has disappeared!"

Plot:

Ships mysteriously disappear on route across the Arctic Sea, and a specially-equipped submarine is sent to investigate.

Plot Keywords:

Submarine | Arctic | North Pole | Ice | B Movie

Cast

Arthur Franz	...	Lt. Cmdr. Richard 'Reef' Holloway
Dick Foran	...	Cmdr. Dan Wendover
Brett Halsey	...	Dr. Carl Neilson Jr.
Tom Conway	...	Sir Ian Hunt
Paul Dubov	...	Lt. David Milburn
Bob Steele	...	CPO 'Grif' Griffin
Victor Varconi	...	Dr. Clifford Kent
Joi Lansing	...	Julie
Selmer Jackson	...	Adm. Terhune
Jack Mulhall	...	Justin Murdock
Jean Moorhead	...	Helen Milburn
Richard Tyler	...	Frogman Carney
Kenneth Becker	...	Frogman Powell (as Ken Becker)
Sid Melton	...	Yeoman Chester Tuttle
Frank Watkins	...	Watkins
Pat Michaels	...	Narrator (voice)
John Hilliard	...	Saucer Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edmund Cobb	...	Passerby (uncredited)
Frank Lackteen	...	Passerby (uncredited)

Directed by
Spencer Gordon Bennet		(as Spencer G. Bennet)

Writing credits
Orville H. Hampton		(written by)
Irving Block		story (uncredited)
Jack Rabin		story (uncredited)

Produced by
Irving Block	....	producer associate
Alex Gordon	....	producer
Orville H. Hampton	....	associate producer
Jack Rabin	....	producer associate
Henry Schrage	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Gilbert Warrenton		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William Austin

Art Direction by
Don Ament
Daniel Haller		(as Dan Haller)

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist (as Emile Lavigne)

Production Management
Edward Morey Jr.	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clark L. Paylow	....	assistant director (as Clark Paylow)

Art Department
Max Frankel	....	properties

Sound Department
Ralph Butler	....	sound
Martin Greco	....	sound editor (as Marty Greco)

Visual Effects by
Irving Block	....	special effects designer and creator
Louis DeWitt	....	special effects designer and creator
Jack Rabin	....	special effects designer and creator

Camera and Electrical Department
George Satterfield	....	chief set electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norah Sharpe	....	wardrobe
Roger J. Weinberg	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Neil Brunnenkant	....	music editor
Alexander Laszlo	....	conductor

Other crew
Ruth Alexander	....	assistant to producer
Jack W. Cash	....	dialogue supervisor (as Jack Cash)
Jack W. Cash	....	production associate (as Jack Cash)
Judith Hart	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Gorham Productions

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Mercator-Film (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Included in the "Monsters and Madmen" box set.)
• Epoca (Argentina) (video)
• Image Entertainment (DVD)
• Monterey Video (video)
• Teleworld (19??) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound recording

Also Known As:

The Atomic Sub (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | USA:Passed (PCA #19423) | West Germany:12

Company:

Gorham Productions

Trivia:

Last film of Victor Varconi.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Magnetic North Pole is not located under the Geographic North Pole, which is where the UFO returns in the film to "recharge its batteries" from the Earth's magnetic field. Science had acknowledged this at least two decades before 1959, which was when the film had been released. More current maps show it shifting a bit to the north of Canada.

Quotes:

Narrator: It was foolish. It was insane. It was fantastic.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Atomic Recall (2007) (V)

A nice, creepy low budget movie.

The Atomic Submarine is atmospheric and creepy, especially when out in the frozen wastes of the North Pole.

A lot of stock footage didn't spoil my enjoyment, although we see different submarines. Good performances from 50s B movie regulars like Arthur Franz and Tom Conway keep the movie going. The monster in the flying saucer has to be seen to be believed. Great stuff, considering the low budget.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.