MovieChat Forums > Destination Tokyo (1943) Discussion > Two Unrelated Questions

Two Unrelated Questions

posted 11 years ago by gema6
9 replies | jump to latest

First, can someone please explain to me what "Put a bubble in safety." means? I tried looking it up, and it has something to do with the tanks holding water and air, but that was all I could understand.

Second, during the dropping of depth charges, when Alan Hale's character is half in and half out of his store rooms, why does he ask if anyone wants a 1938 scooter? I get that he is trying to lighten the mood, but why say that specifically?

I used to have an older guy friend (I'm a girl) that knew a lot about boats, planes, and cars. He was a retired police officer and fire chief, so he could point out details in movies that I would otherwise miss. He would have known the answer to the first question, and would have had an opinion about the second. However, he's gone now.

If anyone could enlighten me regarding either question, I would appreciate it.

[–] ZolotoyRetriever 11 years ago

As to your first question, "Put a bubble in safety"... that means pumping air into one of the submarine's ballast/buoyancy tanks, in this case the "safety tank." Submarines actually have a number of buoyancy and ballast tanks, as well as other tanks, with different names and different purposes. Note that when this line was spoken, they were preparing to surface the sub to be able to launch the shore party. "Put a bubble in safety" means that they needed to pump some air in the safety tank to cause slightly positive buoyancy in order to help guide the sub up to the surface.

[–] gema6 11 years ago

Thanks Zolo!

Now I understand :)

[–] ZolotoyRetriever 11 years ago

Glad to be of help. Oh, and as to the second question, about the 1938 scooter, I have wondered about that one, too. I will have to watch the movie again and see if something comes to mind about that. Maybe 'Cookie' had a scooter in the store room that had got damaged in the depth charge attack, and he was jokingly trying to pass off damaged goods to one of the other guys, just as a tension-breaker. He was kind of a joker, that one...

[–] gema6 11 years ago

Could he have been referring to the damaged submarine (assuming it was built in 1938)as the "motor scooter" which was the wording he used?

I thought about that after I posted the first time. They were in the process of being battered pretty good at the time, so he could have been referring to the ship itself as the "damaged goods" you spoke of. Let me know what you think.

You are very good with these questions, too bad I can't ask you about my car :) The "check engine light" came on while driving home in a snow storm tonight, and I have to get to work tomorrow, so I just have to pray it works.

[–] ZolotoyRetriever 11 years ago

...he could have been referring to the ship itself as the "damaged goods"...

You could have a very good point about the possibility that 'Cookie' was referring to the sub itself as damaged goods. (BTW, by long-standing naval tradition, submarines are always referred to as boats, not ships. Well, at least they were in WWII;)) Anyway, I will have to look at the film again and see if there is any other clue as to why he specifically mentioned a 1938 motor scooter. Maybe the Copperfin was built in 1938?

As to the "check engine light," that could be any number of things, probably nothing drastic as long as your car was still running. Sometimes those are even a false alarm. But typically with modern vehicles the mechanic will simply hook up a computer to your car and do a diagnostic check. Good luck, and hope you have access to a reputable mechanic!

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

I just saw the movie for the first time last week and thought he was under the impression he was going to to die and was selling his possessions (or giving them away).

[–] chiennedog 10 years ago

I believe that "safety" tank can be completely sealed off from the sea. It is as strong as the pressure hull itself. If depth charges explode nearby the shock could rupture safety. An air bubble would perhaps absorb some of the shock of the explosion. Just a guess!

[–] chiennedog 10 years ago

I think Cookie was intimating that he had that scooter hidden in "his" refrigerator room. There were rumors of various things being smuggled aboard subs.

[–] chiennedog 10 years ago

Sorry, I was wrong about "bubble in safety".