Review of Submarine

Thoroughly enjoyable, slightly quirky late silent with good, solid performances from the leads and lots of old ships, deep sea diving suits, submarines and aeroplanes to look at (thanks to the full cooperation of the US Navy during production). I saw it on the big screen with live piano accompaniment, which added a lot to the experience, but I guess that'd depend on the skill of the musician. The two main themes: friendship, in the form of two nautical best friends constantly engaged in playful rough-housing - until a woman comes between them; and the submarine disaster that the film builds towards. The former is a comical, jocular affair that raised frequent laughter from the audience at the screening I attended, and the later is masterfully handled, drawn out, and full of tension (you may find yourself holding your breath). The film is a bit unbalanced structurally, with the sub stuff arriving rather late and the woman issue left somewhat unresolved at the end, but these things didn't impair my enjoyment. That's all you really need to know to assess the film for suitability - highly recommended if you like this sort of thing. PS watch out for spoilers in the review by 'thomsons'.