Nimitz House

[Albacore 569]

Nimitz house in San Francisco Bay. Nimitz and his closest friends are buried next to him in Golden Gate National Cemetery Admirals Raymond Spruance, Charles Lockwood, Kelly Turner there next to Nimitz.

[Das Boot]

I just watched “Run Silent Rub Deep”again the the other day, and I’ve always wondered, what is that bulb Don Rickles held in his hand? Was it to let the periscope up and down? I know it’s a dumb question, but I’ve never really even thought about it till now. I always enjoyed this movie coming up, not only because of the acting, but because the conning tower was utilized. It’s rather a claustrophobic place to do work in, as I visited to the USS DRUM in Mobile, and it is really small.

[Albacore 569]

Hi Das,

Good Question. I watched the movie again too and if I had to guess Don Rickles role on the submarine is as a torpedo plotter for helping in firing solutions.

He talked in one scene after the first down the throat shot saying "'On the 'pickle' dear friend". The practice fast training dive drills he pushes a 'pickle' like an old portrait photographers trigger shutter release button. each time he does there is the same buzzer sound. Later on the surface they use the same buzzer sound on the surface attack using the TDC (Torpedo data computer) on the bridge. Don Rickles in another scene ("just sightseeing Pat") he holds a plastic triangle in his hand (Plotting table) so if I had to guess based on that & the sound buzzer, he is clicking the 'Marks' bearing and range to the TDC in the conning tower for a firing solution. He is not operating the periscope mast in some scenes.

BUT in earlier scenes Gable in the first diving drills tells Rickles "I want this scope UP when we dive". Rickles looks a little taken back as its not usual procedure.

Maybe Rickles is operating both!? It might be just what Hitchcock in his films also might call a 'MacGuffin', a gimmick that is much to do about nothing as a tool to keep the story moving. Rickles is needed in the cramped conning tower (Whish is great! I gage what are the best sub movies also by how crowed and cramped they are in the camera framing..lol).

Robert Wise Directed RSRD. Besides being a great Director, he was first and foremost a brilliant Film Editor first. Wise was the Film Editor in ' Citizen Kane' One of the greatest films ever made. RSRD is so tight with editing the story cut with nothing more nothing less in editing the story seems longer, than it actually is! The film is only 89 minutes! So there is a lot going on in storytelling. The submarine interiors were actually a SET! Its so hard to believe still after seeing film so often. The exterior scenes were shot off San Diago on the USS Redfin. So, your question is a good one. Rickles is such a funny Comedian, but like Robin Williams a great actor too. 'Run Silent Run Deep' to 'Casino'.

When a studio was in financial trouble in a film production, they usually called in Wise to pinch hit on the project. The waste of production money on Star Trek the move he was directing to get the movie done on time. He wasn't the greatest at injecting scenes of humor the cast complained like at end of almost all Star Trek episodes (original series) as the studio was breathing down his Wises neck to not waste time. They could no longer afford it. But Wise was great about producing a product well, musicals, Sound of Music, and West Side Story, Sci Fi The day the Earth stood still and Andromeda strain, and war films like Run silent Run Deep. He did well in just about any genre. In Run Silent Run Deep, Lancaster was one of the producers too and knew Wise would be solid in delivering. RSRD I think came in under budget.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Steve,

That was a comprehensive and informative presentation of a fantastic movie. Wise was an all-business, no-bull**** guy who knew his job and expected all around him to know theirs.

The first submarine I served on was a class of boat like that presented in the movie and the movie torpedo room set sold me the moment I saw it: Tight, dirty, functional, The after bulkhead was busy with water-tight door; compartment salvage hand-wheel and plumbing; cable-runs, and plaques.

And weapons that were moved and shoved very realistically. All business. Even the poppet valve levers were operated in the correct sequence at launch.

That was a well trained and choreographed set of actors. And Beach as technical representative... the author of the book... many combat patrols under his belt... and working with a Director and Producer who listened to him and abided by his 'recommendations'. Pure magic was the result.