Before diving into the iconic war epics that would define his legacy, director John Ford helmed Submarine Patrol, a World War I naval drama that blends romance, redemption, and military camaraderie. Released by 20th Century Fox in November 1938, the film features a surprisingly rich ensemble cast and even boasts a screenplay partially written by William Faulkner—though uncredited.
Plot Overview
The story follows Perry Townsend III (Richard Greene), a spoiled millionaire playboy who uses family connections to join the Navy without training. Assigned as chief engineer aboard the sub chaser S.C. 599, part of the so-called “splinter fleet,” Townsend clashes with his crew and commanding officer, Lt. John Drake (Preston Foster), who’s been demoted for negligence. As the crew sails toward Italy, they face internal tensions, romantic entanglements, and a deadly encounter with a German U-boat.
Cast Highlights
- Richard Greene as Perry Townsend III
- Nancy Kelly as Susan Leeds
- Preston Foster as Lt. John Drake
- George Bancroft, Elisha Cook Jr., John Carradine, Ward Bond, and even an uncredited Lon Chaney Jr. as a Marine sentry
- The cast is a who’s-who of Ford’s regulars, giving the film a familiar texture for fans of his later work
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Actor Elisha Cook Jr. lost half his thumb during a storm scene when a surge of water knocked him overboard and a piano wire wrapped around his hand. Ford reportedly fainted when Cook told him what happened.
- The film was based on The Splinter Fleet of the Otranto Barrage by Ray Millholland, a novel about small naval vessels used during WWI
- Ford grew up in Portland, Maine, which is referenced as the home port of the freighter Maria Ann in the film
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