"Suicide Fleet" is an amazingly dull film about three guys (two of which are real jerks) in the US Navy. All three (William Boyd, James Gleason and Robert Armstrong) are in the navy and are infatuated with a young lady (Ginger Rogers). However, she loves Boyd and the other two spend much of the movie lying to their 'friend' and trying to steal the girl for themselves. These antics were very tedious and the chemistry between these three is quite poor--making it difficult to like them or care about them.
The three eventually volunteer for special duty about a sailing ship that looks similar to a German one that has been disguising itself as a Norwegian fishing boat. The plan is that when the subs come to refuel and be refitted, they'll alert the American fleet to intercept them. Despite a fairly interesting plot, the film suffers from uninspired acting, dull characters and a need for more action. I've seen quite a few other military films made in the 1930s--most of which were frankly a lot more interesting than this one. Aside from a chance to see Ginger Rogers before her big Hollywood makeover or Boyd before he re-created himself as Hopalong Cassidy, there isn't a lot to recommend this one.
The three eventually volunteer for special duty about a sailing ship that looks similar to a German one that has been disguising itself as a Norwegian fishing boat. The plan is that when the subs come to refuel and be refitted, they'll alert the American fleet to intercept them. Despite a fairly interesting plot, the film suffers from uninspired acting, dull characters and a need for more action. I've seen quite a few other military films made in the 1930s--most of which were frankly a lot more interesting than this one. Aside from a chance to see Ginger Rogers before her big Hollywood makeover or Boyd before he re-created himself as Hopalong Cassidy, there isn't a lot to recommend this one.