Country: Germany
Director: Hans Brennert
Writer: Hans Brennert
Stars: Lothar von Arnauld de la
Perière
Also known as: Auf einer
Fernfahrt mit U 35 (Germany); La croisière de l'U 35 (France);
The Exploits of a German
Submarine U35 (United Kingdom); The Log of the U-35 (United States)
Production Co: Bild- und Filmamt
(Bufa)
Runtime: USA: 27 min | Germany: 45 min
Sound Mix: Silent
Color: Black and White
Plot Keywords: U Boat | Sinking |
Cargo | Germany | Submarine | Prisoner
Of War | World War One | Exploding Ship
Genres: Documentary | War
A documentary filmed aboard a
German U-Boat during the First World War , featuring footage of the capture and
sinking of cargo ships and a private schooner.
This movie's unnerving premise
has a camera crew following an actual U-boat during the First World War, as it
attacks and sinks its victims. Most of the resulting footage (which has been
preserved in very good condition) is just as chillingly suggestive as the
premise would lead you to expect, and it is almost impossible to pull your
attention away from the screen. At the same time, this actual war footage
speaks about its subject more eloquently than even the most carefully crafted
fictional story or re-enactment could have.
U-35 was phenomenally successful
in its grim mission, and within less than a half-hour of running time, a large
number of the submarine's targets are shown in succession. On one level, the
tactics and the methodical approach of the Kaiser's sailors are intriguing. But
what comes across more than anything else is the use of their technical skill,
the ingenious ideas, and the patient planning, all for the purpose of
destroying equally skillful and careful use of resources by an 'enemy'. It all
results in nothing of value for anyone, simply an immense waste of valuable
resources.
The inter-titles, though about as
close to being objective as you could ask, often underline the enormous waste
by detailing the cargoes that were destroyed, the vast majority of which were
not for military use. The titles also fill in many of the gaps, since there
were long stretches of battle during which the film crew was, obviously, not
able to photograph the action.
Because of the limited
opportunities for filming, the actual footage generally comes from less bloody
or overtly horrifying moments, yet these are generally more than enough to hint
strongly to the carnage that occurred off-camera. The feature would be very
watchable simply as a historical curio, but it is of even more significance as
a piece of genuine history that provides an inside look at the nature of this
aspect of military conflict.
Connections
Featured in The Moving Picture
Boys in the Great War (1975) - lots of
footage from this film is used, and it is identified by name in the narration.
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