Hell and High Water (1954)

A Sam Fuller Classic

Set at the height of the Cold War, this Sam Fuller thriller has Richard Widmark as a former navy sub commander recruited by a private group to stop Red China from getting the bomb. Action packed with a cast that includes Cameron Mitchell, a lot of fun. Sure it's dated. Love it anyway. July 15, 2008

Very pleasant to review a classic

It is always a pleasure to review the classic black and white movies with the legends of the big screen. this one is no exception. April 18, 2008

A cold war submarine tale from the end of the Korean War

This is a Cold War era about what would happen if the Koreans (this is set during the Korean War, which ended during the year of its release) got a hold of an A-bomb and dropped it in a way to frame the United States. Richard Widmark plays Capt. Adam Jones who is hired for a mysterious mission to trail a freighter in an old Japanese submarine. He hires some of his old Navy crew and takes the famed atomic scientist Prof. Montel (Victor Francen) and his assistant Prof. Denice Gerard (Bella Darvi) on board as the directors of their mission.

They run afoul of Korean defenses including a very good sub battle, an island raid, and the final conflict I will leave to you to experience. Widmark carries most of the dramatic load, the crew provides a bit of pathos and some enjoyable comic relief. Victor Francen is believable as the bearded scientist and Bella Darvi looks pretty enough on screen (but not a real actress).

The special effects were very good for their time, but the Cinemascope cannot be appreciated on your TV no matter how high the quality or its dimensions. However, it is an enjoyable tale and can be enjoyed by the family.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
April 17, 2008

SAMUEL FULLER, OPUS 7

**** 1954. Written and directed by Samuel Fuller. One nomination for the Academy awards (Best Special Effects). Capt. Adam Jones, accompanied by two scientists, must find an island in the North Pacific ocean where Chinese are believed to build an atomic bomb. I love the extravaganza of the cinema of Samuel Fuller, Who else could have imagined a love scene between Richard Widmark and Bella Darvi in a submarine resting on the bottom of the ocean ? In a red light in order to conserve electricity and unable to speak because of the lack of oxygen ? This is cinema at its best. Highly recommended. April 14, 2008

Weak Submarine "Yawn"

Dull and melodramatic. Weak story line. Not one of Richard Witmarks better performances when you compare this to his work in "The Bedford Incident". Now there is a movie I would highly recommend for both the acting performances well as a powerful story line that is filled with emotion. February 14, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...