''Thunder Afloat'' is a 1939

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

naval film starring

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in '' Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in '' Grand Hotel'' ( ...

and

Chester Morris John Chester Brooks Morris (February 16, 1901 – September 11, 1970) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor. He had some prestigious film roles early in his career, and received an Academy Awards, Academy Award nomination ...

. The movie was directed by George B. Seitz. The submarine sequences were shot with the cooperation of the U. S. Navy at Annapolis, Maryland and around the

Coronado Islands The Coronado Islands (''Islas Coronado'' or ''Islas Coronados''; en, Islands of the Coronation(s); Kumeyaay: Mat hasil ewik kakap) are a group of islands located off the northwest coast of the Mexican state of Baja California. Battered by the w ...

off

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...

.http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/3076/Thunder-Afloat/notes.html

Plot

In a New England port town, Pop Thorson (

) and Rocky Blake (

) are rival

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...

owners. Thorson's boat has sunk in the shallow water while docked, and he is certain Blake sabotaged it to keep Thorson from winning a lucrative contract to move barges of military supplies. Thorson is a widower who built his own tugboat and lives on it with his adult daughter Susan (

Virginia Grey Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Biography Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...

). She loves her father, but also likes Blake (who denies the sabotage) and does not want the two men to fight. As the United States has now entered

, the Navy is recruiting men for anti-submarine warfare. Susan and Pop Thorson trick Blake into enlisting by pretending Thorson is going to enlist himself. Thorson then gets the contract, but when his boat is afloat again and towing a barge, it encounters a German submarine. The Germans order the crew into the lifeboats and sink the tug and the barge. When Thorson reaches port, he enlists at once. Due to his experience and the war emergency, he is immediately made an ensign and given command of one of the small new fleet of

sub chaser A submarine chaser or subchaser is a small naval vessel that is specifically intended for anti-submarine warfare. Many of the American submarine chasers used in World War I found their way to Allied nations by way of Lend-Lease in World War II. ...

s based there. Thorson does not take well to naval discipline, particularly when his superior officer, in charge of the fleet, turns out to be Blake, who is now a lieutenant and dedicated to his duty. Blake respects Thorson's experience and tries to teach him how to behave, but there is little time and the message does not sink in well. On their first mission, Thorson correctly reasons that any submarine would avoid the storm-wracked area where they were ordered to patrol, and would be in the lee of

Nantucket Island Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...

. He violates orders, taking his ship there alone, and does find a German submarine; the same one. Sinking the sub would make the violation forgivable. But the German captain tricks the inexperienced Thorson into breaking off his attack by releasing oil from his vessel, and sinks a lightship before leaving. A cable then breaks on Thorson's vessel and tangles in the propeller. Thorson goes into the water to free it, but suffers a head injury. Blake then arrives on the scene and rescues him personally. When Thorson recovers, he is court-martialed for insubordination, demoted to ordinary seaman, and put on shore duty. Desolate, he finally decides to desert and go to Canada with Susan; but Blake stops him just in time and gives him a new assignment. He will now join the crew of a decoy ship: looking like an ordinary fishing schooner, its crew pretending to be civilians, it will actually have a concealed radio to summon the sub chasers as needed. Joining up with a fishing fleet, the decoy is indeed attacked — by the same submarine again. The Germans board and discover the radio, but Blake's fleet is already on the way. The boarding party returns to the submarine. With his captain's agreement, Thorson orders the decoy ship to try to ram the submarine. The Germans sink it and take Thorson on board as a prisoner and hostage, then dive to the seabed. As they wait silently, he seizes an opportunity to shut himself in a room and bang on the hull with a wrench, telling the listening sub chasers where to find the sub. Blake realizes he must attack despite the risk to Thorson. But although the submarine is damaged it is still able to surface, and Thorson as well as its crew are taken off. The film ends with Thorson receiving the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

, restored to the rank of ensign, and again commanding a sub chaser, to the delight of Susan and the residents of the port.

Cast

as Pop Thorson *

as Rocky Blake *

as Susan Thorson *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as District Commander * Carl Esmond as U-boat Captain *

Clem Bevans Clem Guy Bevans (October 16, 1880 – August 11, 1963) was an American character actor best remembered for playing eccentric, grumpy old men. Early life Bevans was born in Cozzadale, Ohio. Career Bevans had a very long career, starting in va ...

as Cap Finch *

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

as Milo *

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

as Ives *

Leon Ames Leon Ames (born Harry L. Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best rememb ...

as Recruiting Officer

References

External links

* * * {{George B. Seitz 1939 romantic drama films 1939 films Films directed by George B. Seitz World War I naval films World War I submarine films War romance films American war drama films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films scored by Edward Ward (composer) 1930s English-language films 1930s American films