Crash Dive
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: D Film: C+
A love
triangle kicks in as the U.S. does battle with the Nazi’s in Crash Dive (1943) a comedy/drama that
somehow manages to dodge melodrama for the most part. Credit immediately to scriptwriter Jo
Swerling, adapting from the W.R. Burnett story, in making this still watchable
after over 60 years, though journeyman director Archie Mayo definitely was in
good form directing one of his last pictures before his early retirement.
Tyrone
Power, Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews compose the eventual love triangle, supported
by amusing bit by unknowns and support from Dame May Whitty, James Gleason and
Henry Morgan (Harry Morgan from TV’s M*A*S*H). This boils down to formula to a great extent,
but the lavish way Fox and producer Milton Sperling made this helps as
well. It is almost too long at 106
minutes.
The full
frame image was originally released in three-strip dye-transfer Technicolor,
but the elements here do not reflect that enough, especially from the grain
shown. Some more work is definitely
needed to fix this film, shot by Leon Shamroy, A.S.C., with the color having
moments closer to what Shamroy intended.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has its moments, even offering some Pro
Logic surrounds oddly. This is likely to
enhance the Academy Award winning visual effects in the battle scenes. The only extras are four trailers to this and
three other films Fox has on DVD in its War series.
- Nicholas Sheffo
