Watch The Frogmen

The Frogmen is a 1951 American war film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews, and Gary Merrill. The movie is set during World War II and follows a group of US Navy divers who are tasked with clearing out underwater mines that have been planted by Japanese forces in the waters around their base in the Pacific.

The movie begins with the arrival of Lieutenant Commander John Lawrence (Dana Andrews) at a naval base in the Pacific. Lawrence, a former college football star, is sent to take over the training of a group of Navy divers who have been struggling to keep up with the demands of their job. The divers, led by Chief Petty Officer Jake Flannigan (Richard Widmark), are initially skeptical of Lawrence and his methods, but he manages to win them over and they soon begin to work together effectively.

As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that the divers' skills are going to be put to the test. The Japanese have planted mines in the waters surrounding the US base, and the Navy needs to clear them out in order to prevent any further attacks. The divers are sent out to locate and disarm the mines using a variety of unconventional methods, including using explosive charges and grappling hooks.

The first mission is successful, but the second mission goes awry when one of the divers, Mike Carroll (Gary Merrill), is caught in an explosion that leaves him seriously injured. The team manages to rescue Carroll and get him back to base, but the incident leaves everyone shaken and begins to affect their ability to work together.

As tensions rise, Lawrence begins to clash with Flannigan over how best to proceed, and the men begin to question their orders and whether the risks they are being asked to take are worth it. Complicating matters further is the arrival of a woman named Susan Jaynes (Anne Bancroft), who is looking for her brother, a Navy diver who went missing during a previous mission.

As the team prepares for their final mission to clear out the remaining mines, they are forced to confront their fears and work together to accomplish their mission. The Frogmen ends with a thrilling underwater battle between the divers and the Japanese, as well as a touching finale that sees the team reunite with their loved ones.

Overall, The Frogmen is an engaging and suspenseful war film that showcases the bravery and skill of the Navy divers who served during World War II. The performances by the lead actors are strong, particularly Richard Widmark as the tough but compassionate Chief Petty Officer, and the underwater sequences are impressive for a movie made during this era. While the film may not be particularly deep or complex in its exploration of the characters or the war, it succeeds in delivering a thrilling and engaging story that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The Frogmen is a 1951 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.