The Deep Six (1958): Cast & Plot
The Deep Six is a 1958 war drama directed by Rudolph Maté, starring Alan Ladd as Alexander 'Alec' Austen, Keenan Wynn and William Bendix. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 45m (105 min)
- Director
- Rudolph Maté
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Jaguar Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Deep Six About?
The premise of The Deep Six without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Naval gunnery officer Alec Austin (Alan Ladd), a Quaker, refuses to fire on an unidentified plane, causing his crew to question his reliability. To prove himself he leads a dangerous rescue of U.S. pilots on a Japanese‑held island. He’s aided by petty officer Frenchy Shapiro (William Bendix) and opposed by ambitious Lt. Cmdr. Edge (Keenan Wynn), whose disdain for non‑WASP officers fuels the conflict.
The Deep Six Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- quaker
- u.s. navy
- united states navy
- warship
- navy officer
- world war two
- conscientious objector
- based on novel
- religious belief
- combat
- gun turret
- anti aircraft gun
+38 more Show fewer
- aerial attack
- transformation
- pacifism
- hesitation
- heroism
- widow
- navy doctor
- mother son relationship
- jukebox
- unexploded bomb
- friendship
- burial at sea
- fistfight
- nazi u boat
- gunnery officer
- killed in action
- armenian
- damage control
- downed airplane crew
- rubber boat
- world war two soldier
- 1940s
- death
- san francisco california
- pow prisoner of war
- ladd and bendix
- aleutian islands campaign
- writer producer
- based on the novel of the same name
- chief petty officer
- casualty of war
- navy destroyer
- morphine addict
- lieutenant commander
- japanese army
- military drama
- pebble beach california
- year 1942
The Deep Six Cast & Characters
Alan Ladd leads the cast as Alexander 'Alec' Austen, with Keenan Wynn as Lt. Cmdr. Mike Edge and William Bendix as 'Frenchy' Shapiro. Directed by Rudolph Maté; 20 actors are credited in all.
- Director Rudolph Maté
- Alan Ladd as Alexander 'Alec' Austen
-
Keenan Wynn as Lt. Cmdr. Mike Edge - William Bendix as 'Frenchy' Shapiro
-
Dianne Foster as Susan Cahill
Also Starring in The Deep Six
· 16 more- Jeanette Nolan Mrs. Austen
- James Whitmore Cmdr. Warren Meredith
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Lt. Blanchard
- Nestor Paiva Pappa Tatos
- Jerry Mathers Steve Innes
- Ross Bagdasarian Pvt. Aaron Slobodjian
- Walter Reed Paul Clemson
- Richard Crane Lieutenant j.g. Swanson
- Warren Douglas Pilot
- Peter Hansen Lieutenant Dooley
- Perry Lopez Al Mendoza
- Steve Mitchell Blackie
- Joey Bishop Ski Krokowski
- Steven Marlo Collins (as Morris Miller)
- Barbara Stuart Ski's Girl
- Barbara Eiler Claire Innes
More from Rudolph Maté
More films directed by Rudolph Maté: Aliki My Love, Seven Seas to Calais, The 300 Spartans and The Barbarians.
The Deep Six Plot Summary
What happens in The Deep Six from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Set in September 1942, amid the heat of World War II, the story follows Susan Cahill, an art director at a Madison Avenue ad agency run by her fiancé, as she navigates love, ambition, and the looming call to duty. Susan becomes increasingly unsettled by her fiancé’s public flirtations with a client’s daughter meant to clinch a deal, a tension that threads through every interaction she has with him. When agency artist Alexander “Alec” Austen invites her to dinner on Long Island, the encounter stirs a careful curiosity in Susan, even though she also senses Alec’s earnest, undeniable attraction toward her. The dinner marks the beginning of a complicated bond, one that will pull them toward decisions neither of them is ready to face.
Full summary
The whole story of The Deep Six, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Deep Six?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the profession of Susan Cahill before she reports for duty?
Seen The Deep Six?
Movies Like The Deep Six
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Run Silent Run Deep, Men in the Deep and We Dive at Dawn.
The Deep Six FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Deep Six, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Deep Six?
The Deep Six runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).
When was The Deep Six released?
The Deep Six was released on January 15, 1958.
Who directed The Deep Six?
The Deep Six was directed by Rudolph Maté.
More films by Rudolph Maté Who is in the cast of The Deep Six?
The Deep Six stars Alan Ladd as Alexander 'Alec' Austen, Keenan Wynn as Lt. Cmdr. Mike Edge and William Bendix as 'Frenchy' Shapiro, among 20 credited actors.
Does The Deep Six have a post-credit scene?
No. The Deep Six has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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