JohnHowardReid Why anyone would want to waste their time with "Up Periscope" beats me. True, it does feature a mildly exciting climax, but you have to wait impatiently through nearly two hours of relentless tedium! It's true too that the script has a few mildly witty lines, but what's a witty line or two surrounded by three or four thousand dull ones? Condensed to a reel or a reel and a half, Up Periscope might make a fair featurette, but at 112 minutes...Made on the cheap with obvious studio and stock shots, "Up Periscope" is further burdened with a second-string cast including Edd Byrnes as a medical orderly and Andra Martin as the love interest. However, despite her prominence in the credit titles, Miss Martin's role is slight. Behind-the-camera personnel are no better. The photography is tired and the direction TV-weary with lots of monotonous and uninteresting close-ups as the characters talk and talk and talk.I never understood the cinema appeal of James Garner. As a general rule, television stars, no matter how super-popular they may be on the box, fail to achieve anything like that sort of success on the big screen. Remember George Gobel? Or Alan Young? Or Edd Byrnes? Charlie Drake? Judy Cannon? Benny Hill? Merv Griffin? The only television people I can think of who made it really, really big on the big-big screen are James Garner and Norman Wisdom.

John T. Ryan BY THE YEAR of Anno Domini 1959, Television had take the upper hand in the struggle for supremacy of filmed stories. IOt was during this era that the small screen in our living rooms managed to dim the lights on so many, many of the old neighborhood movie houses that once populated our cities. It was by this time that the big Studios capitulated to the Networks; albeit in one, particular area.FOLLOWING YEARS of actively opposing any venturing into active participation in TV production; even to the point of forbidding their stars to do guest shots on television.* EVEN THESE Studio Moguls were compelled to rethink this position; opting that, "if we can't lick 'em, we might as well join 'em!" Before long, the Studios were in TV; enthusiastically supporting what they formerly held out against.STARTING OUT IN a manner that would seem to have been borrowed from Walt Disney's DISNEYLAND Show; MGM, 20th Century-Fox and Warner Brothers all had weekly hour long anthology series. In them, there would be some look at the history of movies, showcasing some of their old successes. They might interview a current Star and plug his/her current release. (Can you say, "Infomercial?" SO WAS THERE and then a sort of "cross pollination" between Actors on the Big and Small screens. Movie Stars did Guest Shots on TV and those starring in popular series would.............YES, THEY WOULD be featured in theatrical films. Our honoree of today, is just such an example.WITH THE PRODUCTION of UP PERISCOPE, the wheel had, indeed, the wheel had spun a full. The film starred James Garner (star of WB's hit series, MAVERICK) and also prominently featured Ed Byrnnes (popular as supporting character,"Kookie", on the same Studio's hot detective show, 77 SUNSERT STRIP.IN WHAT HAD echoes of Warner's DESTINATION TOKYO, the production team had assembled a great cast. Edmund O'Brien, Andra Martin, Alan Hale, Jr., footballer Frank Gifford and gruff, perennial Sgt. or Chief Petty Officer, Henry Kulky. Also look for a young Warren Oates as a seaman.THE STORY WAS somewhat similar to the previously mentioned DESTINATION TOKYO: but it had more of a "back home" subplot featuring Mr. Garner and his love life than the other film. There was a sort of modernization in the storyline; which was not made during the War, and hence lacked any element of propaganda.THE ACTION WAS good and it was filmed in Warnercolor; an advantage that the old, wartime productions lacked.WE DO RECOMMEND it, if you haven't viewed it, you may be pleasantly surprised. It's just too bad that they didn't make more movies like this in the 1950's. Maybe then there would be more Neighborhood Movie Houses still open today!NOTE:* This boycotting of television was a direct reversal of the Studios' policies about old time Radio; where they used it to their advantage at every possible instance. (Perhaps the Movies and Television were too similar, no?)

screenman Youthful, handsome James Garner plays a womanising frogman. He is seconded for a solo-mission to penetrate Japanese security on an occupied Pacific island and clandestinely copy their radio-codes. Secrecy is paramount.It sounds like something by Alistair McClean or an early 'Mission Impossible'. He has to be taxi'd to his destination by submarine. And there are issues between himself and the sub's commander played by reliable Edward O'Brien. The seas are shallow and he risks discovery, but there are limits to how far Garner's frogman can swim.That's about it. The rest of the movie is made up of adventures along the way and the stealthy secret mission on land against the Japanese. There's no particular surprises. It's nicely filmed in colour. Most of the sets are believable. The story and moments of tension are well paced. It's a sturdy little matinée adventure with some decent submarine footage. Good support cast features an equally youthful Warren Oates.Just remembered, I saw this at the flea-pit as a kid!

matjusm This film is a hidden gem. When one talks of WWII submarine films, movies such as Das Boot and Run Silent Run Deep come up but Up Periscope rarely gets a mention.The plot, to sum it up, is about a US navy submarine in the early days of the war with Japan. It has been given a task to deliver a commando (James Garner) to a remote Japanese outpost in the Pacific to do some reconnaissance work. Along the way many perils face both him and the boat.Its a great film because it doesn't get too dramatic and the subplots are there in just the right amount, not overpowering the main story. The captain of the ship is a good yet slightly flawed man and the characters in general aren't one dimensional. The tension is genuine and the film keeps you at the edge of your seat. Visuals are great too, thanks to the cooperation of the Navy and some very well done miniature scenes.If you like war films, navy films, WWII films or just a good thriller, watch this.