Das Boot (1981)

Overview
User Rating:
8.5/10 58,955 votes
Top 250: #67 (register to vote)
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Wolfgang Petersen
Writers:
Lothar G. Buchheim (novel)
Wolfgang Petersen (writer)
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Contact:
View company contact information for Das Boot on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 February 1982 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | War more
Tagline:
This is the story of 42 raw recruits caught up in a war they didn't understand, and the Captain who must lead them in their struggle to survive. more
Plot:
The claustrophobic world of a WWII German U-boat; boredom, filth, and sheer terror. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
German | U Boat | Crew | Boredom | Submarine
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Awards:
Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Jude Law Is New Superman
(From WENN. 26 July 2002)
User Comments:
Take it from a real submariner- more
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)

Jürgen Prochnow ... Capt.-Lt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock - Der Alte
Herbert Grönemeyer ... Lt. Werner - Correspondent
Klaus Wennemann ... Chief Engineer Fritz Grade - Der Leitende-Der LI
Hubertus Bengsch ... 1st Lieutenant - Number One-1WO
Martin Semmelrogge ... 2nd Lieutenant - 2WO
Bernd Tauber ... Kriechbaum - Chief Quartermaster-Navigator
Erwin Leder ... Johann
Martin May ... Ullman
Heinz Hoenig ... Hinrich

Uwe Ochsenknecht ... Chief Bosun
Claude-Oliver Rudolph ... Ario
Jan Fedder ... Pilgrim
Ralf Richter ... Frenssen
Joachim Bernhard ... Preacher
Oliver Stritzel ... Schwalle
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Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Boat (Philippines: English title) (USA) (dubbed version)
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MPAA:
Rated R for some war violence and brief language. (director's cut)
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
149 min | 293 min (uncut version) | 209 min (director's cut)
Country:
West Germany
Language:
French | German | English
Color:
Color (Fujicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital (director's cut) | Dolby (original release) | SDDS (director's cut)
Certification:
Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 (director's cut) | Norway:15 (director's cut) | Norway:16 | Portugal:M/12 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 (director's cut) | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (dubbed directors cut) | UK:15 (subtitled directors cut) | USA:R | USA:Unrated (original uncut version) | West Germany:12 (w)
Filming Locations:
Atlantic Ocean more
Company:
Bavaria Film more
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
With production costs of 31 million DM, it was for a long time the most expensive German movie ever made. It was beaten in 2006 by "Perfume: The Story of A Murderer", which, however, was a German-French-Spanish co-production shot in English. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: This is December 1941: The RAF would not have a bomb that could penetrate the double ceiling (up to 7 metres thick) of the U-boat pens in France. They tried later, and la Rochelle, St. Nazaire and Lorient were more than 90% destroyed. But the pens were almost undamaged, even after hits by the TallBoy (12,000lbs) and Grand Slam (22,000lbs) bombs. The pens in la Rochelle and St. Nazaire were in German possession until the end of hostilities, the last U-boats leaving on 8 May 1945. Some of the pens are still in use. more
Quotes:
Lt. Werner: Captain?
Captain: I'm sorry.
Lt. Werner: You think it's hopeless now?
Captain: It's been 15 hours. He'll never do it. I'm sorry.
Lt. Werner: They made us all train for this day. "To be fearless and proud and alone. To need no one, just sacrifice. All for the Fatherland." Oh God, all just empty words. It's not the way they said it was, is it? I just want someone to be with. The only thing I feel is afraid.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
It's a Long Way to Tipperary more
FAQ
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
There is a TV version of this?
What is written on the building at the end of the movie?
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User Comments
(Comment on this title)
218 out of 227 people found the following comment useful:-
Take it from a real submariner-, 7 July 2000
10/10
Author: Sam Haines from San Antonio, Texas

on modern "boats" life isn't easy- but compared to the living hell that the German U-Boats were, modern submariners have nothing to complain about. People in certain professions don't like to watch movies about those professions (Doctors and Nurses shy away from hospital dramas, for example). Submarine sailors are different. We love to watch every submarine movie ever made, from "Run Silent, Run Deep" and "Destination: Tokyo" to "The Hunt For Red October", "Crimson Tide" and "U-571". Why? Because we can always use a good laugh. For those in the know, submarine movies are usually absolutely hilarious. Except this one. After being in the Navy for four years, serving with around 350 different men, and being acquainted with a further 200-300, all of them submarine sailors, I think that I can state with absolute certainty that this film is the ONLY submarine movie that ALL submariners take seriously. And that is the highest praise a movie like this can possibly get