Screen legends Clark Gable (Gone with the Wind, Teacher’s Pet) and Burt Lancaster (Elmer Gantry, The Train) star in this gripping WWII adventure-thriller that set a new standard for submarine pictures. “Rich” Richardson (Gable) is a hard-driving, dedicated submarine officer with a single-minded purpose—to seek out and smash the Japanese destroyer he believes sunk his former ship. Given a new command, Richardson drills his men to the point of mutiny as he relentlessly trains them for the battle ahead. At last, word comes of the destroyer’s position, and disobeying orders, Richardson finally confronts his foe, unaware that an even greater enemy lurks nearby…one that’s been targeting him for a watery grave. Directed by the great Robert Wise (Odds Against Tomorrow, The Sand Pebbles) and featuring a stellar supporting cast headed by Jack Warden (12 Angry Men), Brad Dexter (The Magnificent Seven) and Don Rickles (Kelly’s Heroes).

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Video Quality

Run Silent, Run Deep returns to Blu-Ray courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 that holds up pretty well. The film was released on Blu-Ray back in 2014 by the label, although it appears to have been out of print for a little while. The new disc is derived from the same master, yet this release appears to utilize a new BD-50 disc instead of the more compressed BD-25 from before. We do not have that disc to compare the two transfers, but the recent trend of re-releases with new encodes has largely paid off. While we would love further improvement, what we have works for us.

The presentation is strong throughout most of the runtime with image stability and delineation rarely faltering in a notable manner. The black-and-white photography allows for steady contrast with only intermittent moments of flickering. Detail is prominently on display with consistent subtle facial features easily noticeable alongside the texture of the costumes. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of crush observed. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation with a refined look rather than a noisy mess. This presentation is a fine effort given that a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release is highly unlikely.

Audio Quality

This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that captures the activity without much issue. The audio track avoids significant instances of age-related wear and tear and distortion with only subtle anomalies here and there. Dialogue holds up favorably, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the score or any of the sound effects. Everything is presented with decent clarity and fidelity as it fills the room. Kino has done a good job of showcasing this material. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Filmmaker/Historian Steve Mitchell and Combat Films: American Realism Author Steven Jay Rubin deliver an informative commentary track in which they discuss the history of the film, where this fits within the history of submarine films, the background of various creative figures attached to the film, striving for authenticity, the reception of the picture, details about the production design, and more.

Trailers: The three-minute trailer is provided for Run Silent, Run Deep. There are also trailers provided for Paths Of Glory, Fixed Bayonets!, Attack!, The Train, Time Limit, I Want To Live!, and Odds Against Tomorrow.

Final Thoughts

Run Silent, Run Deep is an entertaining deep-sea war film that finds Robert Wise confidently wielding his considerable skills to craft a tense narrative that ranks high among the genre. Clark Gable still knows how to command the screen even in his later years, and Burt Lancaster is the perfect counterpart for him. Anyone who is a fan of pot-boiler war pictures should have a good time with this one. Kino Classics has released a new Blu-Ray with a good A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. If you have not picked the previous release, you should add it to your collection. Recommended

Run Silent, Run Deep (Special Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.