Insanity from 1932. A psychotic submarine commander (Charles Laughton) is married to Tallulah Bankhead. Bankhead has a bad reputation, her name is Diana and the other wives talk about her at the officer's club. Laughton thinks Bankhead is having an affair with his first lieutenant (Cary Grant). She's not but Laughton has him transferred anyway. Grant's replacement is Gary Cooper and Bankhead DOES have an affair with HIM. They all end up on a runaway submarine that Laughton crashes. They then have to escape through a hatch and swim to the surface. Bankhead does this wearing a black evening gown. And
it all takes place in North Africa! An audacious film that is never camp despite the absurdest plot and a very outré cast. Laughton's performance reaches hysterical heights and he's fun to watch. Bankhead more than holds her own with him --- she's also quite striking. Directed by Marion Gering, who directed LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE the prior year.
Review of Devil and the Deep
