So from to Germany to America back to Germany for number 70 on the top 1000 greatest films of all time.
Set in World War Two, Das Boot focuses on the crew of a German U-boat as they struggle to return home.
Like any good war film, Das Boot offers an objective account of war and trusts the audience to arrive at their own conclusions. it doesn't romanticise or demonise any particular side, but rather allows the audience to decide for themselves. Watching this as an Englishman, I would have seen Germany as the villains of World War 2. However, I actually sympathised rather than disliked the German sailors. Just like the English, they were only soldiers fighting for their country,
The fraternal bond that existed amongst the sailors seemed close to how it would have been like in real life. The unnamed Captain and Chief Engineer, being the oldest men on board, are surrogate fathers for the unruly, but loyal group of young men. Whilst this film has been criticised for being unrealistic, the shared fraternal relationship was one of the best parts about it, as it highlighted how dedicated these men are to each other. Whilst one minute, they were mercilessly teasing each other with crude and off-colour jokes, the next they were springing into action ready to do everything to keep each other alive.
Das Boot also beautifully explores the different ways that war can affect men. Whilst the sailors are initially raring to fight, their excitement gives way to terror. This is best explored through the character of Lieutenant Werner, a staff officer sent from the Ministry of Propaganda to report on the war effort. Initially, he is very dedicated to taking down every single detail, but his enthusiasm quickly gives way to the cynicism held by the captain and the other officers. In one of the film's more understated moments, Lieutenant Werner befriends a young German sailor who has left behind a French girlfriend. When Werner appears to be going on shore, he promises to deliver the sailor's letters to his girlfriend. This subtle moment demonstrates the devotion that fellow sailors held towards each other.
Johann, the chief mechanic, is also a powerful example of the crippling effect of war. After their U-Boat is hit by depth charges, Johann has a nervous breakdown and deserts his post. The Captain almost has to shoot him, before the crew are able to calm him down. To redeem himself, Johann works tirelessly to repair the damage that the depth charges caused. He has let down his captain and works hard to make up for it.
Set predominantly in a German U-boat, Das Boot is claustrophobic. The camerawork is cramped, conveying the tight living conditions and knocking up the tension. The battle scenes are incredibly tense with the camera cross-cutting from sailors running from one end of the ship to the other. Everything about the U-Boat is cramped from the sleeping arrangements to where the sailors eat. Even where the officers are all cramped around one tiny table. Adding to the claustrophobic feel is the dim lighting. Many of the film's battle sequences are dimly lit making them thrilling to watch.
Many different versions of this film have been released: a two and half hour theatrical cut, the three and hour director's cut which is what I watched, and the an almost five hour long uncut version. I think this film is stretched over 210 minutes. The plot of the film- a group of sailors encountering lots of obstacles trying to get home isn't the most detailed or complicated, but it does become repetitive and meandering around the hour and half mark. The crew of the U-boat are attacked by one ship barely survive and then are attacked by another ship and so on. I found it much more interesting learning about the sailors, rather than watching their journey. That notwithstanding there are some brief respites. In one of the film's most distressing, but gorgeously hot shot scenes, the crew of the U-boat encounter a convey ship that has been badly attacked. It is on fire and is slowly sinking. Under strict orders to not take prisoners, the captain orders for the survivors to be left to their fate.
I also really didn't like that apart from the bloodbath of an ending, no characters died. Seriously, no characters died. None of the major characters nor any background characters. Firstly, I think this is unrealistic considering how badly the ship was damaged. Secondly, I think that if some major characters had died, this would have allowed for some interesting character development. We could have seen how each character deals with this type of guilt, which could then be used to create internal conflicts on the ship. It also would have brought the horrors of the war hammering home. The crew of the ship finally make it home at the end of the film. Just as they are disembarking the ship, they are ambushed by enemy fighter planes leaving all of the main characters, except Lieutenant Werner dead. This surprised me by leaving me outraged. How could it be fair that the crew all die after everything they've been through to get home? But hell, when is war ever fair?
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