The Frogmen

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Richard Widmark plays Lt. Commander John Lawrence, a sympathetic but unfairly disliked leader of a group of Navy underwater demolition experts in the fascinating World War II drama The Frogmen. Basically a story written around some authentic Navy footage of real frogmen in action, the film is full of daring maneuvers that (even when occasionally simulated) reveal much about the clandestine operations of frogmen as they engage in reconnaissance and ambushing missions, sometimes under cover of night. As such, The Frogmen will delight Navy buffs, but the very human tale of a commanding officer losing the respect of his men for reasons he can't help is universally compelling. Dana Andrews and Jeffrey Hunter play two of the men under Lawrence's command who request transfers after Widmark's officer proves a little more by-the-book than their previous, much-beloved boss. Gary Merrill has a nice supporting role as a ship's reflective, pipe-chewing commander who befriends Lawrence and helps him get through a tough time. There are several, nicely suspenseful set pieces, including a harrowing scene involving an unexploded torpedo sticking its nose into sick bay (while a major character is helpless to flee). --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

An oldie but a goodie.......2007-03-22

This one has a good solid storyline with some great performances by the leading roles.Even though its is in B/W its in great condition and if you like WW2 action its certianly worth watching.

New to me.......2007-03-05

Thinking myself a WWII film-buff, I was pleasantly surprised to come across a movie that I had never heard of. Richard Widmark has never been one of my favorite actors (his best role in my opinion was Jim Bowie in The Alamo), I was a little skeptical of what I would find in The Frogmen. While he's still not very animated, this was a good Friday night with pizza and popcorn movie, and one that I'm glad I picked up.

The Frogmen.......2006-11-11

Saw this film when it first came out. It was a good movie with a great cast at that time. Enjoyed it just as much today.

Excellent movie and tribute.......2006-09-13

My father was a member of the UDT teams during WWII and through the 1950's. One of the great things about this movie is that the real men of the UDT were often used. The footage of the teams using the boat and swimming underwater were done by the actual UDT team 4, they also used them in other places in the movie. During the scene where Richard Widmark is talking to the men while they are laying in their bunks my father can be easily seen in the top bunk to his right, other men in this scene were also members of UDT 4.

Decent & Genuine.......2006-09-02

A good story, well told. No fake, false heroics, no garbage: just straight down the line. It is therefore ten times more convincing and realistic than the Oscar-winning WWII twaddle being served up by Hollywood these days. This, one feels, is what war operations were truly like: efficient teams carrying out effective, well-disciplined, well-organised missions. The technology of frogman drill was particularly interesting. Those who imagine that WWII was about a bunch of morons wandering around in sunlit fields, looking for a lost sheep, are welcome to their fantasies. They are unfortunately unaware of the meaning of a good job, well done. Some casualties, but no tears.

Heroes of War Collection - Navy Battles (The Enemy Below, The Frogmen, Morituri, Sink the Bismarck!)

Average customer rating:

Heroes of War Collection
When movies were made well

Heroes of War Collection - Navy Battles (The Enemy Below, The Frogmen, Morituri, Sink the Bismarck!)
Starring: Robert Mitchum , Curd Jürgens , David Hedison , Theodore Bikel , and Russell Collins
Director: Dick Powell , Lloyd Bacon , and Bernhard Wicki
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EMGJFE
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Product Description

Frogmen
The new commander of a Navy Underwater Demolition Team--nicknamed "Frogmen"--must earn the respect of the men in his unit, who are still grieving over the death of their former commander and resentful of the new one.

Sink The Bismarck
It's spring 1941, and Great Britain is the only country in Europe yet to be defeated by the Nazi army, but all of that could change soon. The Nazis have launched their juggernaut battleship, the Bismarck, to close off British supply lines and ultimately invade England. A counterstrike is ordered, and with an arsenal of ships at their command, Royal intelligence officers Jonathan Shepard (Kenneth More) and Anne Davis (Dana Wynter) fight desperately to distroy the Bismarck.

Morituri
Suspenseful action highlights this film in which Marlon Brando and Yul Brynner team up to defuse a Nazi freighter, poised to explode upon capture.

Enemy Below
It's Mitchum vs. Jurgens as the commanders of an American destroyer and a German U-boat play a deadly game of cat and mouse.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 414 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Heroes of War Collection.......2007-07-16

For 10 year olds this was a great review of the second world war. Only Morituri was too strong for them, too complicated and too violent.

When movies were made well.......2007-07-09

Heroes of War Collection - Navy Battles (The Enemy Below, The Frogmen, Morituri, Sink the Bismarck!)

Great stories and acting

Submarines: Submarines, Frogmen and Divers

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Submarines: Submarines, Frogmen and Divers
Director: Various
Manufacturer: Periscope Film
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FVREDA
Release Date: 2006-06-02

Description

The U.S. Navy's deep sea divers and frogmen are some of the most highly trained and specialized personnel in the armed forces. Featured on this DVD are five rare films showing the history of the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) — predecessors to the modern SEALs — and some of the regimens developed to train them and the Navy's deep sea divers.

Special attention is given to the physical effects of diving and the potential hazards that lurk below the surface. Learn about the development of underwater photography techniques, and see early footage of the use of the aqualung by Cousteau.

See how UDTs operated during WWII, and see them deploy for combat from a submerged submarine. Watch a film made by the Navy's diving school showing salvage techniques utilized by hard-hat divers. Witness the exploits and accomplishments of those men who braved the fathoms deep.

Please note: the films featured on this DVD were originally produced by and for the U.S. Navy. Due to their rarity and age, image and sound quality may vary.

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