Down Periscope
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| Down Periscope | |
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| Directed by | David S. Ward |
| Produced by | Robert Lawrence |
| Written by | Hugh Wilson; Andrew Kurtzman; Eliot Wald |
| Starring | • Kelsey Grammer: Lt. Commander Thomas "Tom" Dodge • Lauren Holly: Lt. Emily Lake • Rob Schneider: Executive Officer Martin T. "Marty" Pascal • Harry Dean Stanton: Lt. Howard • Bruce Dern: Yancy Graham • William H. Macy: Capt. Carl Knox • Ken Hudson Campbell: Buckman • Toby Huss: Nitro "Mike" • Duane Martin: Jefferson "R.J." Jackson • Jonathan Penner: Stanley "Spots" Sylvesterson • Bradford Tatum: Brad Stepanak • Harland Williams: E.T. "Sonar" Lovacelli • Rip Torn: Admiral Dean Winslow |
| Music by | Randy Edelman |
| Cinematography | Victor Hammer |
| Editing by | William Anderson; Armen Minasian |
| Release date(s) | 1996 |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | USA |
Down Periscope is a 1996 comedy movie starring Kelsey Grammer as the captain of a rust-bucket submarine (called the USS Stingray) who is fighting for his career. Rob Schneider provides comic support as the uptight executive officer, and Lauren Holly as the Navy's first female submarine crewmember.
[edit] Plot
Lieutenant Commander Thomas Dodge (Kelsey Grammer), a capable US Navy officer, is about to be denied command of his own submarine for a third time because of his rather unconventional ways and his reputation about a tattoo on his penis reading 'Welcome aboard!' (which he'd gotten after a crash with a Russian sub before Murmansk and a drunken rout following the incident, but is never seen in the movie). He is particularly opposed by Rear Admiral Yancy Graham (Bruce Dern). Failure to secure his command will result in him being dropped from the command program. His commander, Vice Admiral Dean Winslow (Rip Torn), manages to convince the Navy to give him a last chance: to test the Navy's defenses against enemy submarines. For this purpose, Dodge is granted the command over a rusty and outdated Balao-class diesel sub, the USS Stingray, which should simulate a situation with Russian diesel subs sold to terrorists. Adm. Winslow gives Dodge the order to "think like a pirate", meaning to disregard the traditional rules of warfare and play by his own discretion. Winslow tells Dodge that if he can win the wargame, including sinking a mock battleship in Norfolk harbor, he will do what he can to get Dodge command of a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.
His opponent in the wargame is Rear Admiral Graham, who is overseeing the maneuvers of the submarine USS Orlando, headed by Commander Carl Knox (William H. Macy). Graham, motivated by his dislike for Dodge and his own ambition (he brags that he has never lost a wargame, and that he is in line for a third star), tries to arrange circumstances to make Dodge's mission even more difficult. He handpicks a motley crew consisting mostly of what he considers rejects and failures: hot-tempered Executive Officer Martin Pascoe (Rob Schneider), rebellious Engineman 1st Class Brad Stapanek (later revealed as Admiral Winslow's son), sharp-eared Seaman 2nd Class E.T. 'Sonar' Lovacelli, compulsive gambler Seaman Stanley 'Spots' Sylverston, shock-prone electrician Seaman Nitro, and the not-so-culinary cook Seaman Buckman. Also, as part of a pilot program instituted by Graham, Lieutenant Emily Lake (Lauren Holly) joins the crew as the Navy's first female diving officer. Finally, he informs Dodge that the containment area of the exercise has been cut in half, effectively limiting what targets Dodge can pursue, and with the helpful reminder that the Stingray will unconditionally surrender upon being informed of a "shooting solution" (or enemy lock-on) at any time during the wargame.
Using risky and unorthodox strategies to offset their technological disadvantage, Dodge and the Stingray crew manage to take out their assigned target in Charleston Harbor, using flares to signal their victory. After this, Dodge violates the rules concerning the containment area, choosing to obey Admiral Winslow's orders to "think like a pirate." Pascoe attempts to relieve Dodge of his command because of this, but the crew refuses to assist, and Dodge forces him to walk the plank (Pascoe falls into a civilian fishing boat that had pulled alongside — crying "Mommy!" as he fell off — and NOT into the water to his death). Graham then assumes personal command of the wargame from the Orlando's helm and is able to "kill" the Stingray, but not before it launches two torpedoes at the dummy target in Norfolk harbor. Since the shots were fired prior to the kill, and they found their target, Dodge is the victor of the game.
Afterwards, Graham protests that Dodge left the containment area, thus defying a direct order. Winslow overrides him, pointing out that the containment area had been narrowed without proper authorization and that Dodge had higher orders from Winslow himself. Winslow advises Graham that he can forget about his third star.
Winslow congratulates Dodge on a job well done and tells him that he will not get a Los Angeles Class submarine. Instead he will be given a Seawolf-class submarine, and a "proper crew". Dodge requests that he be allowed to transfer the crew of the Stingray. It is also hinted that Dodge and Lake begin a romantic (or at least physical) relationship.
[edit] Trivia
- The USS Stingray in the movie was filmed on USS Pampanito, a Balao-class submarine from WWII, now a museum ship and memorial in San Francisco.
- The USS Orlando (SSN-852) is a fictional Los Angeles class submarine. As of 2007 no United States Navy submarine has ever been named Orlando or carried the hull number SSN-852. The footage used for the Orlando is of several different types of Los Angeles class ships.
- In some countries, this movie is called "Pipe Dreams". In Hungary the title is "Fire Under Water". In Latin America it's called "Crazy`s on board"
- The ending sequence with the credits runs with the music of In the Navy by Village People
- There is an older World War II film called Up Periscope.
- During the opening sequence when the Orlando is supposed to be returning to the submarine Base in Groton, CT, the submarine is actually heading back out to sea. The two bridges the ship moves under cross the Thames River in New London, and if the boat were actually heading into port, it would cross under the railroad trestle before the larger highway bride.
- The only golf course that the Orlando would pass by after returning from an Arctic patrol is Shenecosset in New London, CT. However, at the time the movie was released, the holes close to the river were not yet in existence.
