MovieChat Forums > Below (2002) Discussion > Help needed

Help needed

posted 19 years ago by journeyman4000
3 replies | jump to latest

I've watched this movie twice, a pretty long time ago. And I still don't get the story... not really.

SPOILERS

I understand that they mistook the British hospital ship for a German sub, and attacked it, and that Brice fired on the survivors, while Winters was trying to stop him. Brice murdered Winters, and covered it up.

What I don't understand is: Were they really sunk by the British ship? Were most of them already dead?

If anyone could clear all this up for me, from the beginning, I'd be grateful. Overall, it's a good film-- very good directing, very good atmosphere.

[–] iamzed 19 years ago

BIG SPOILER

Journeyman4000: There is plenty of good reason for you to suspect that, but if you will recall, three members of the crew are picked up with the nurse. The demise of the ship is witnessed by the rescuers as well as the rescued.

[–] RLandolt 19 years ago

The sequence of events goes something like this: (spoilers)

The day before the movie starts, the US Sub sinks what it thinks is a German fleet tending ship. Captain Winters, Brice, Loomis and Coors go on deck to confirm the kill. When they hear the sounds of English voices screaming for help, they realize they just torpedoed a friendly ship.

Captain Winters orders his men to start hauling in survivors. Loomis (the third in command) realizes their careers are over if word gets out and argues with the captain. They get into a fight and Captain Winters gets bonked on the head and goes overboard.) (In a later flashback, Brice appears to be trying to break the fight up, and Coors is just looking on in shock. Loomis appears to be responsible for the Captain's death.)

Loomis quickly convinces the others that they can hide their deadly mistake (and their Captain's murder) if they go back in the sub, claim the German ship was destroyed and the captain fell overboard trying to retrieve a souvenier from their "kill." They radio back to headquarters about the loss of the Captain, Brice is put in command and they are ordered to head home.

Meanwhile, three survivors of the torpedoed hospital ship manage to survive in a raft. One of them was on deck when they were attacked and assumes the submarine he saw was German. They wait to be rescued, and as luck would have it, are spotted by a plane as the movie begins.

We then see an anonymous American sub receive orders to pick up survivors from a torpedoed ship. At this time we the viewers have no idea any of the above has happened, so we assume that the survivors are from some random sea battle and Brice and Loomis are reluctant to return to pick them up because they are already on their way home. Watching the movie again, it's obvious they know exactly who they are being dispatched to pick up, and they are more worried about returning to the scene of the crime. Brice gives Loomis a look of disgust when Loomis muses they might get a citation for their "rescue" mission.

Hope that clears things up!

[–] jennatar 16 years ago

You are wonderful.