Down Periscope

Down Periscope
Directed by David S. Ward
Produced by Robert Lawrence (producer)
Screenplay by Hugh Wilson
Andrew Kurtzman
Eliot Wald
Story by Hugh Wilson
Starring
Music by Randy Edelman
Cinematography Victor Hammer
Edited by William M. Anderson
Armen Minasian
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
 March 1, 1996
Running time
 93 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $31 million[1]
Box office $37,553,752[2]

Down Periscope is a 1996 American military comedy film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Robert Lawrence, directed by David S. Ward, that stars Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, and Rob Schneider. The film co-stars Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. Macy, and Rip Torn.

Lieutenant Commander Thomas Dodge fights to save his naval career while also being saddled with a group of misfit seamen brought together as the crew of his first command, USS Stingray, a rusty, obsolete World War II-era diesel submarine recommissioned to participate in a special naval war game.

Plot

Lt. Commander Thomas Dodge is being considered for submarine command for a third time. He has previously been passed over by the Selection Board for his unorthodox command methods, a "brushing" incident with a Russian submarine, and a genital tattoo he reportedly acquired soon after. Failure of selection will result in Dodge being dropped from the Navy's command program. Rear Admiral Yancy Graham, who makes no secret of his dislike for Dodge, speaks out against Dodge's promotion.

Vice Admiral Dean Winslow, ComSubLant, likes Dodge and his unorthodox methods. He taps Dodge to participate in an upcoming war game to test the Navy's defenses against attack from diesel-powered submarines like the ones Russia has recently been selling. Dodge is given command of the World War II-era Balao-class diesel-powered submarine USS Stingray for the exercise. Dodge's orders are to "invade" Charleston harbor without being detected; and if successful at Charleston, to sink a dummy ship in Norfolk with the two live torpedos Winslow provides. Dodge is reluctant to participate, believing he will be easily defeated. He offers Winslow a bet - if he successfully completes both tasks Winslow will give him a proper command. Winslow agrees to seriously consider Dodge's command if he succeeds. He tells Dodge to "throw out the book" and "think like a pirate."

Admiral Graham, who boasts he has never lost a war game, handpicks a "crew from hell" for the Stingray: hot-tempered, uptight Lt. Martin Pascal as the Executive Officer; crusty civilian naval contractor Howard as Chief Engineer; rebellious Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanek; sharp-eared Sonarman 2nd Class E.T. "Sonar" Lovacelli; compulsive gambler Seaman Stanley "Spots" Sylvesterson; former college basketball player Seaman Jefferson "R.J." Jackson; shock-addled Electrician's Mate Nitro; and not-so-Culinary Specialist Second Class Buckman as Stingray's cook. Graham also selects Lt. Emily Lake to serve as the sub's Diving Officer as part of a special program to see if women can successfully serve in submarines.

Using unorthodox tactics and taking advantage of an Atlantic storm, Dodge and his crew sneak into Charleston Harbor and set off signal flares. Upset at losing the first part of the game, Graham reduces the war game containment area by half without Admiral Winslow's authorization. Failing to penetrate Norfolk Harbor, Dodge leaves the containment area and heads out to sea. Dodge cuts off all contact with the Navy, which causes the by-the-book Pascal to attempt to take command of Stingray. The crew does not support the psychotic Pascal and Dodge charges him with mutiny. Wearing mock-buccaneer outfits and talking like pirates, Dodge and crew force the blindfolded Pascal to walk the plank into the raised net of a fishing trawler that will take him ashore.

Convinced that Dodge has gone rogue, Admiral Graham assumes personal control of submarine Orlando, in which Dodge previously served as Executive Officer. Dodge employs an incredibly dangerous maneuver to sneak past the ships and aircraft protecting Norfolk and get a head start on his opponents. Orlando is able to locate and chase her down, but before a shooting solution is obtained Dodge is able to fire two live torpedoes at 900 yards (820 m) into the anchored target ship at Norfolk, winning the war game for Stingray.

Returning to port, Graham is chastised by Admiral Winslow and denied a promotion. After confiding that Engineman Stepanek is actually his son (who uses his mother's surname), Winslow informs Dodge that he will be placed in command of a new Seawolf-class submarine with a proper crew. Dodge respectfully requests that his entire Stingray crew be transferred with him, to which Winslow agrees. Dodge dismisses his crew to begin a well-earned shore leave.

Cast

  • Kelsey Grammer as Lt. Commander Thomas "Tom" Dodge, Commanding Officer, USS Stingray
  • Lauren Holly as Lt. Emily Lake, Diving Officer
  • Rob Schneider as Lt. Martin T. "Marty" Pascal, Executive Officer
  • Harry Dean Stanton as Howard, Chief Engineer of Stingray
  • Rip Torn as Vice Admiral Dean Winslow, Commander, Submarine Force, US Navy Atlantic Fleet (ComSubLant)
  • Bruce Dern as Rear Admiral Yancy Graham, Blue Team leader of the war game
  • William H. Macy as Commander Carl Knox, Commanding Officer USS Orlando
  • Ken Hudson Campbell as Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Buckman, Stingray's Cook
  • Toby Huss as Fireman Nitro "Mike", Electrician of USS Stingray
  • Duane Martin as Planesman 1st Class Jefferson "Stoneball" Jackson, Planesman
  • Jonathan Penner as Seaman Stanley "Spots" Sylvesterson, Helmsman
  • Bradford Tatum as Engineman 1st Class Brad Stepanak, Stingray's leading engineman and Admiral Winslow's son
  • Harland Williams as Sonarman 2nd Class E.T. "Sonar" Lovacelli, Sonar Technician
  • Patton Oswalt as Stingray Radioman

Production notes

The name of the film is a play on the title of the 1959 World War II drama Up Periscope and spoofs several titles in the submarine film subgenre, including the Cold War drama The Hunt for Red October.[3]

Down Periscope began shooting on May 6, 1995 and finished on July 27.[4]

USS Pampanito, a Balao-class submarine from World War II, now a museum ship and memorial in San Francisco, played the part of USS Stingray. The nearby Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet stood in for Naval Station Norfolk.

The film makes use of both standard US Navy stock footage as well as scenes shot specifically for the film. The target ship that is torpedoed and sunk, ending the film's war-game, is both naval stock footage of the USS Fletcher and a prop shooting miniature. Fletcher was one of the most decorated ships in US Navy history. Over the closing credits a music video is shown of the Village People and the film's cast performing "In the Navy" aboard the Stingray.

Release

Down Periscope had its US theatrical release on March 1, 1996.[4] The film grossed $25,785,603 domestically and $37,553,752 worldwide; it currently sits at the position of 2,871 for all-time domestic gross.[5] The film was released five months later on home video on August 6, 1996.[4]

Reception

Critical reception for the film was generally negative. At review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score 12% from 33 reviews, with an average rating 3.8/10.[6]

Stephen Holden of The New York Times felt "The tone of the acting, which is set by Mr. Grammer's blandly laid-back performance, is all wrong for a genre that demands over-the-top hamming." Holden furthermore wrote that the film does manage to provide "a couple of amusing bits", but "The energy level of "Down Periscope" is so low that moments like these, which should flare hilariously, reach a wan flicker."[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Down Periscope | PowerGrid". Powergrid.thewrap.com. 1996-03-01. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  2. ↑ Down Periscope at Box Office Mojo
  3. ↑ Chapman, James. War and Film. Reaktion Books, 2008, p. 229.
  4. 1 2 3 TCM Notes Misc. Notes
  5. ↑ "Down Periscope". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved September 8, 2018.
  6. ↑ Down Periscope at Rotten Tomatoes
  7. ↑ "Down Periscope". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
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