Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Redundant and unnecessary.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I first saw this in the 1960's and revisited it some fifty years later.Of course it is of its time. It combines a story based on fact that is compelling and courageous, with a modest budget. The special effects are clunky, the costuming erratic, and armoury dubious, but it doesn't really matter. The story is well told, and dramatic. Submarine movies are at their best underwater where the claustrophobic drama is intense, and at their worst when that leaves them with nowhere to go. Here, fortunately the climax is on the surface, and incidental gems like a passing German patrol vessel playing music loudly also take place topside.The portrayal of toffs in charge and salt of the earth ranks grate a little now, but John Mills is a sound, reflective toff.Modern adrenaline junkies will not be impressed, but the simple heroism and determination portrayed is as impressive now as it was then.

It is instructive to watch fifty years on how the Allies portrayed their victorious armed forces on the screen.The United States were represented by the cigar chomping ,helmet askew,grizzled flinty eyed G.I.dishing out chewing gum to snotty- nosed kids all over the world, The Russians sad - faced country boys,pale and sensitive,hating the Germans of course,but very keen on watching birds - particularly cranes apparently.The French dapper and sophisticated even a little effete but certainly hating the Germans.The Australians rowdy and undisciplined but murderous and hating everybody foreign.And the Brits....ah,the Brits. Inspired amateurs,a mixture of coal miners,shopkeepers,City gents,farmers and barrow boys somehow magically intermingled to produce a bloody - minded fighting man with occasional flashes of genius and and absolute refusal to even consider defeat. Such was the make up of the submariner in general and the midget submariner in particular. "Above us the waves" tells of the exploits of the brave men who sailed deep into the Norwegian fjords to confront the "Tirpitz",scourge of the convoys.Having convinced a sceptical Admiralty in the person of Mr James Robertson Justice that such an attack had at least a small chance of succeeding,Mr John Mills leads his crews quietly and with the minimum of flag - waving to the target where they plant explosives under the keel of the ship.Despite being captured and taken on board Mr Mills and his men stay silent under questioning and the resulting detonation severely damages the "Tirpitz",putting it out of action for six months. Mr John Gregson and his crew are not so lucky and perish in the icy water. This is not a Bruce Wills blockbuster,nobody yells "Yippee - aye - ay motherxxxxxxx" at the enemy,there aren't many bangs for your buck and the special effects aren't up to much.The Germans are played as more or less mirror - images of the Brits and the mutual respect is apparent. "Above us the waves" is a low - key film with subdued performances. War isn't depicted as big boys' game,these men are in deadly danger and fully aware of it.To carry on quietly and,yes,bloody - mindedly if you like.......now that's real courage for you.

A lot of things about this film make you think director Ralph Thomas slept his way through the job. The scene when Donald Sinden tries to push off a mine with his feet is amazingly badly done. The film also fails to give you a real sense of what the mission achieved! (It did not, as the film implies, break the back of the ship -- but did succeed in putting Tirpitz out of action for half a year; the RAF finally destroyed her a year after the midget attack.) But there are plenty of decent scenes, and some real tension. The script isn't bad, and having the Germans speak in (unsubtitled) German adds authenticity. John Mills is, as always, excellent. Above all, the film tells a true story, of primitive, cramped baby submarines, poorly insulated diving suits and icy water. And real heroism.

This is yet another example of the fantastic films that Britain USED TO MAKE. Great acting, powerful direction and real emotion.I saw in at the cinema a few weeks back and it really still packs a punch. I must get this one and others like the Cruel Sea on DVD.If only we could make films like this again.Why is it that we could make such great films 30 or 40 years back and now we have so many problems? Actually I think I know that answer to that one already.I think that it would be interesting to remake this film but it would have to be made by a top flight director I think