Underwater Warrior * (1958, Dan Dailey, Ross Martin, James Gregory, Claire Kelly) – Classic Movie Review 13,703

The 1958 American war drama film Underwater Warrior stars Dan Dailey as Commander David Forrest, a role inspired by the real-life Commander Francis D Fane.

Director Andrew Marton’s 1958 American black and white CinemaScope war drama film Underwater Warrior stars Dan Dailey, Ross Martin, James Gregory, and Claire Kelly. The film follows the evolution of the US Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team, or frogmen. It is interesting historically. The amphibious units were created by the US Navy during World War Two with specialised missions, and are the predecessors of the US Navy’s current SEAL teams.

In the film, a group of recruits train as scuba divers for the Underwater Demolition Team of the US armed forces, and they go on to see action in the Pacific in World War Two and later in Korea.

Dan Dailey stars as Commander David Forrest, a role inspired by the real-life Commander Francis Douglas Fane (USNR), and the film is based on Francis D Fane’s life, as told in his 1957 non-fiction book The Naked Warriors. Francis D Fane also served as technical advisor.

Half US Navy recruitment propaganda, half rites-of-passage drama, Underwater Warrior is conscientious and well meaning but, alas, ploddingly made and almost wholly unentertaining. The uninspired cast give rather lacklustre performances, but the underwater camerawork by director of underwater photography Lamar Boren is notable, providing the film’s main distinguishing feature and value, along with the special underwater effects by Harry Redmond Jr.

Two US naval officer divers appear, Lt Alex Fane, Francis’s son, and Lt Jon Lindbergh, son of Charles Lindbergh.

It was released in a double bill with The Safecracker.

Cast: Dan Dailey as Commander David Forrest, Ross Martin as Sgt Joe O’Brien, James Gregory as Lt William Arnold, MD, Claire Kelly as Anne Winnmore, Raymond Bailey as Admiral Ashton, Genie Coree as Maria, Alex Fane as Davey, Alex Gerry as Captain of Battleship, Charles Keane as Captain, Jon Lindbergh as Boat Officer, Zale Parry as Girl Swimmer.

Underwater Warrior is directed by Andrew Marton, runs 91 minutes, is made by Hunterhaven and Underwater Productions, is released by MGM, is written by Gene Levitt, is shot in black and white and CinemaScope widescreen by Joseph H Biroc, is produced by Ivan Tors, is scored by Harry Sukman, and is designed by Cedric Gibbons.

Ivan Tors later produced the underwater diving TV series Sea Hunt.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,703

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