A story of naval rivalry, romantic entanglement, and ultimate unity against enemy forces during World War II.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Transfer and Tension
Stewart arrives at the submarine base and faces an uneasy meeting with Captain Connors. Jean Hewlett faces scheduling conflicts that delay her romantic plans with Connors.
Key Events
U-Boat Sinking — Stewart sinks enemy submarine saving survivors. Location: Open Ocean
Submarine Transfer — Stewart reassigned to USS Corsair due to officer shortage. Location: Naval Port
Uneasy Captain Meeting — Stewart and Connors have a tense first encounter. Location: New London Base
Date Plan Disruption — Jean must chaperone students, canceling Connors date. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: New London
Train Romance Spark — Stewart meets Jean on a train, romance begins. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: Train to Washington
Rival Romance
Stewart and Jean spark a romance on a train while Connors delays his marriage proposal for career advancement. Naval combat against a Q-ship shifts crew dynamics from rivalry to cooperation.
Key Events
Train Romance Spark — Stewart meets Jean on a train, romance begins. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: Train to Washington
Dinner Proposal Talk — Jean suggests marriage, Connors delays for promotion. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: Restaurant
PT Boat Infatuation — Stewart PT boat obsession irritates Connors. Location: USS Corsair
Nazi Q-Ship Engagement — Crew engages enemy Q-ship, tension shifts to teamwork. Location: Atlantic Waters
Command Takeover — Wounded Connors yields command to Stewart. Location: USS Corsair Bridge
Q-Ship Sunk — Stewart successfully destroys the Q-ship. Location: Enemy Waters
Island Raid
The crew launches a dangerous mission to destroy a secret enemy harbor base. A landing party faces heavy fire, leading to a critical medical revelation and a heroic sacrifice.
Key Events
Q-Ship Sunk — Stewart successfully destroys the Q-ship. Location: Enemy Waters
Uncle Home Dinner — Stewart charms Jean into dinner at his uncle place. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: Restaurant and Home
Love Rivalry Revealed — Stewart learns Connors also loves Jean and plans to propose. Characters: Jean HewlettLocation: Base Mess Hall
Island Base Mission — Officers embark to locate and destroy enemy base. Location: Secret German Harbor
Tanker Tracking — Corsair follows German tanker through harbor defenses. Location: Harbor Entrance
Landing Party Deployment — Eight-man team goes ashore to destroy munitions. Location: Island Shore
Reconciliation and Union
The surviving officers escape under heavy fire and Connors executes a daring emergency submerging. Stewart and Jean finally marry as the crew unites behind a shared mission.
Key Events
Landing Party Deployment — Eight-man team goes ashore to destroy munitions. Location: Island Shore
Chief Heart Condition — MacDonnell concealed heart issue threatens mission. Location: Island Base
Sacrificial Cover Fire — MacDonnell sacrifices himself to save Stewart and Jones. Location: Island Beach
Covering Escape Action — MacDonnell gives his life to save his comrades.
Resolution and Unity — Conflict resolution and personal milestones.
Officer Reconciliation — Stewart and Connors overcome past animosity.
Wedding Ceremony — Stewart and Jean formalize their relationship.
Navy Teamwork Theme — Overarching message of coordinated warfare.
Voiceover Explanation — Tyrone Power narrates multi-ship coordination.
Multi-Ship Coordination — Demonstrates how different vessels defeat the enemy.
A US Navy submarine, the USS Corsair, is operating in the North Atlantic, hunting German merchant raiders that are preying on Allied shipping. Its new executive officer, Lt. Ward Stewart, has been transferred back into submarines after commanding his own PT boat. At the submarine base in New London, Connecticut, he asks his new captain, Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Connors, for a weekend leave to settle his affairs before taking up his new assignment. On a train bound for Washington D.C., Stewart accidentally encounters New London school teacher Jean Hewlett and her students. Despite her initial resistance to his efforts, he charms her and they fall in love.
