The Deep Six ** (1958, Alan Ladd, Dianne Foster, William Bendix, Efrem Zimbalist Jr, Keenan Wynn, James Whitmore, Joey Bishop, Jeanette Nolan) – Classic Movie Review 9975

Director Rudolph Maté’s 1958 war drama adventure The Deep Six stars Alan Ladd as ‘Alec’ Austen, a World War Two Quaker naval lieutenant who loses the respect of his men through pacifist inaction, but regains it by leading a dangerous attack ashore.

The excellent William Bendix, Efrem Zimbalist Jr, Keenan Wynn, James Whitmore, Joey Bishop and Jeanette Nolan easily out-act the lightweight star in director Rudolph Maté’s uncomfortable wartime action adventure, based on Martin Dibner’s novel.

The clichéd script (by John Twist, Martin Rackin and Harry Brown) that does not come to terms with the moral dilemmas it poses is the main problem. But also Warner Bros have come up with a cheap-looking production, though John F Seitz shoots in colour (WarnerColor).

A forlorn Dianne Foster (born Olga Laruska) supplies the vapid romance, as Susan Cahill. She died on 27 July 2019, aged 90.

Also in the cast are Barbara Eiler, Ross Bagdasarian, Walter Reed, Peter Hansen, Richard Crane, Steven Marlo (billed as Morris Miller) and Perry Lopez.

It is comedian Joey Bishop’s feature debut.

The Deep Six is directed by Rudolph Maté, runs 105 minutes, is made by Jaguar Productions, is released by Warner Bros (1958), is written by John Twist, Martin Rackin and Harry Brown, based on Martin Dibner’s novel, is shot in colour (WarnerColor) by John F Seitz, is produced by Martin Rackin and is scored by David Buttolph.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9975

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