Submarine Patrol

A claustrophobic and mannered flagwaver (adapted by several hands from Ray Milholland's novel The Splinter Fleet of the Otranto Barrage) in which an arrogant playboy, Perry Townsend III (Greene), signs up with the US Navy in WWI and is put aboard a rickety old boat to chase submarines. A strict but decent disciplinarian shapes up an unruly crew. Greene has the conceit knocked out of him and wins the affections of all-American girl Nancy Kelly. Ford keeps the narrative and action buzzing, but this is a pale example of the Master's work. The following year he made Stagecoach and Young Mr Lincoln.