136 of 1001 Movies: The Boat (1981)

The Boat, or Das Boot, as it is said in German, isn't about the usual side of World War II you see, but the German side. I think Wolfgang Peterson knew how to keep tension out of this film though considering the content of the war, and focus solely on the men on a submarine who were fighting for the Germans. There is never any mention of Hitler or the word Nazi though. Instead the men talk a lot about their homes, wives, and just how they will survive the next day at sea.

Summary: A captain and his crew are sent out on a submarine in the "Battle of the Atlantic" to destroy British shipping. German U-Boats have been suffering a lot of losses, and the questions that the soldiers aboard are having against their government's missions are higher than ever, but as soldiers there isn't much they can do but try to make it home safely. About the only thing they can think of when not completing a mission is food, their homes, and creating odd games to occupy themselves.