Torpedo Run 1958
Directed by
Joseph Pevney
Made by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Torpedo Run Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Torpedo Run (1958). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In October 1942, ComSubPac directs the American submarine Greyfish, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle Barney Doyle, to intercept a Japanese convoy that includes the Shinaru, one of the aircraft carriers that led the attack on Pearl Harbor. The escort also guards a transport ship carrying American prisoners from an internment camp in the Philippines where his wife Dede Doyle and child were being held. Doyle’s second-in-command, Lt. Archer ‘Archie’ Sloan [Ernest Borgnine] tries to persuade him to let Sloan handle the torpedo run, sparing Doyle direct responsibility for his family’s possible death.
As the chase tightens, Sloan urges caution; the convoy’s proximity to the carrier Yoshida Maru presses Doyle into a difficult choice. Doyle fires his torpedoes, hoping to miss the carrier and strike the transport instead. Carefully counting the seconds, they realize one of their torpedoes has indeed hit the transport. Hoping to lure the submarine to the surface, the Japanese make no attempt to rescue the survivors. Through the periscope, Doyle can see women and children grasping for pieces of floating wreckage. So as not to endanger his crew, he is forced to leave the prisoners to die.
Doyle follows the Shinaru into Tokyo Bay, but fails to sink it. After surviving a relentless bombardment of depth charges, the Greyfish returns to base at Pearl Harbor. While there, Sloan meets with Admiral Setton [Philip Ober] and accepts Sloan’s assessment that, despite feeling intense guilt for the civilian transport’s destruction, he should be promoted and given his own command someday. He refuses on the grounds he believes Doyle is still fit for command and wishes to remain as his second-in-command. Setton then agrees to give the Greyfish “one more trip” to try to sink the Shinaru - but on the condition that Sloan must take the promotion if Doyle fails.
Yet when the Greyfish is reassigned to a quiet, out-of-the-way patrol area off the Alaskan coast, Doyle suspects betrayal by both Setton and Sloan, and reveals that he knew about the latter’s offer of his own command all along. Then word arrives that the Shinaru is heading for Japanese-occupied Kiska Harbor, and the Greyfish sails toward the harbor.
An initial encounter with the Shinaru leaves the submarine’s periscope and radio antenna damaged, forcing Doyle to improvise a second, almost blind attack with little chance of success. After firing torpedoes, the Greyfish is driven to the ocean floor by a heavy depth-charge attack. The crew members use Momsen lungs to escape their doomed submarine. When they reach the surface, they are picked up by another American submarine, the Bluefin, captained by William Schallert. Doyle asks the Bluefin’s captain for confirmation that they hit the Shinaru. The captain looks through the periscope, shares the view briefly with Doyle and Sloan, and then, over the intercom, describes the carrier’s sinking for Doyle’s crew.
Torpedo Run Timeline
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Mission directive to intercept a Japanese convoy
In October 1942, ComSubPac orders the submarine Greyfish to hunt a Japanese convoy. The target includes the carrier Shinaru, a ship that helped lead the Pearl Harbor attack. The escort also carries a transport ship with American prisoners from a Philippines internment camp, among them Doyle's wife and child.
Doyle learns the prisoners are aboard the escort
During the pursuit, Doyle realizes the escort includes a transport ship carrying American prisoners from the Philippines. He discovers that among the prisoners are civilians, including his wife and child, heightening the personal stakes of the mission.
Sloan pleads to handle the torpedo run
Lieutenant Archer Sloan tries to persuade Doyle to let him handle the torpedo attack, hoping to spare Doyle the burden of risking his family. Doyle insists on remaining in command, aware of the personal risk and the mission's gravity.
Torpedoes fired; target misdirection
Doyle commits to the strike, firing torpedoes with the aim of hitting the transport while missing the carrier. The crew carefully tracks the torpedoes, counting seconds to determine if they struck the intended target.
Prisoners' fate sealed as torpedo hits
One torpedo grounds the transport, and the Japanese make no effort to rescue the survivors. Women and children cling to wreckage as the imprisoned group meets a grim fate in the sea.
Greyfish shadows Shinaru into Tokyo Bay
Doyle pursues the Shinaru into Tokyo Bay, intent on sinking the carrier. The pursuit intensifies the danger as enemy defenses readiness and countermeasures rise to meet the threat.
Failed sinking; return to Pearl Harbor
The Greyfish fails to sink the Shinaru during the Tokyo Bay engagement and endures a relentless barrage of depth charges. After the ordeal, the submarine returns to base at Pearl Harbor.
Sloan meets Admiral Setton at Pearl Harbor
Back at Pearl Harbor, Sloan meets with Admiral Setton alone. Sloan argues Doyle should remain in command and notes Doyle's continued readiness to serve as second-in-command despite the guilt over destroying the civilian transport.
Setton offers a promotion and control; Sloan declines
Setton offers Sloan a promotion and his own command, but Sloan refuses, insisting that Doyle remains fit for command and deserves to keep him as second-in-command. The offer highlights the power dynamics within the submarine force.
Greyfish assigned to quiet Alaskan patrol
The Greyfish is assigned a quiet, out-of-the-way patrol off the Alaskan coast. Doyle fears he has been betrayed by Setton and Sloan, and he openly reveals that he already knew about Sloan's offer for command before the meeting ended.
Shinaru heads toward Kiska Harbor
News places the Shinaru on a course for Japanese-occupied Kiska Harbor. The Greyfish proceeds to intercept the carrier again, bracing for a dangerous engagement.
First encounter: periscope and radio disabled
An initial encounter with the Shinaru results in the submarine's periscope being disabled and the radio antenna destroyed. Doyle plans a second attack under deteriorating conditions, relying on alternate methods to strike.
Second attack: blind torpedo run; forced to depth
Doyle conducts a second torpedo attack as a blind run with little chance of success. The Greyfish is forced to the ocean floor by a depth-charge attack as the crew fights to survive.
Escape using Momsen lungs; rescue by Bluefin
With the submarine doomed, the crew uses Momsen lungs to escape the sinking hull and reach the surface. They are taken aboard the American submarine Bluefin, awaiting a chance to confirm their fate.
Bluefin confirms sinking of the Shinaru
On the Bluefin's deck, the captain looks through the periscope and, via intercom, informs Doyle and Sloan that the Shinaru has sunk. The grim confirmation caps the perilous mission and its personal costs.
Torpedo Run Characters
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Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle (Glenn Ford)
A composed submarine commander who bears heavy responsibility for his crew and mission outcomes. He makes the fateful decision to fire torpedoes under immense pressure, accepting the potential civilian cost. His perseverance and willingness to risk everything define the film’s core leadership arc.
Lt. Archer Sloan (L.Q. Jones)
Doyle's loyal second-in-command who wrestles with guilt and ambition. He urges Doyle to consider safer options but ultimately supports the mission. Sloan's mixed motives and choices reveal the human side of command under duress.
Adm. Samuel Setton (Philip Ober)
A high-ranking admiral who pressures for results and offers promotions as incentives. He attempts to manage the Greyfish's mission from above, adding political complexity to the tactical struggle. His decisions shape the crew's sense of trust and risk.
Jane Doyle (Diane Brewster)
Doyle's wife, whose imprisonment underscores the personal stakes behind the submarine's mission. Her existence as a driving force adds emotional gravity to Doyle's choices. She represents the civilian cost of naval warfare.
Dede Doyle (Kimberly Beck)
Doyle's child, a symbol of the family the crew seeks to protect. Her presence elevates the emotional intensity of the mission and the consequences of every decision.
Captain of the Bluefin (William Schallert)
Captain of the Bluefin who confirms the outcome of the Greyfish's mission and aids in the aftermath. His role provides essential validation and closure for the crew's efforts.
Lt. Jake 'Fuzz' Foley (Dean Jones)
Foley is a member of the submarine crew who contributes to the tense survival scenario after the attack. His presence highlights the crew's camaraderie and shared peril.
Torpedo Run Settings
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Time period
October 1942
Set during World War II in the Pacific theater, the film centers on submarine warfare and high-stakes decisions. The timeframe places the plot around the battles and strategic moves following Pearl Harbor. The tense countdowns and depth-charge attacks anchor the story in a specific war-era moment.
Location
Pacific Ocean, Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Tokyo Bay, Alaskan coast, Kiska Harbor
The action unfolds across a broad swath of the Pacific during World War II. A submerged hunt for a Japanese carrier threads the Greyfish's patrol from Pearl Harbor toward Tokyo Bay and into occupied waters. The story touches remote waters near the Alaska coast and Japanese-occupied Kiska Harbor, illustrating the war's global reach.
Torpedo Run Themes
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Moral Duty
The film probes the tension between duty to the crew and the moral costs of wartime orders. Doyle makes ruthless choices under pressure, knowing civilians are at risk if the mission fails. The narrative treats leadership as a constant negotiation between success, safety, and humanity.
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Leadership
Leadership is tested through command decisions, trust, and loyalty. Sloan serves as Doyle's second-in-command, balancing ambition with duty, and the two men navigate potential betrayal and vindication. The command dynamic drives the suspense and moral complexity of the mission.
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Guilt
Guilt threads through the crew as the potential civilian casualties weigh on their decisions. The pursuit of strategic victory clashes with personal responsibility toward those on the transport. The film uses this guilt to humanize wartime acts that would otherwise be purely tactical.
Torpedo Run Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the sweltering heat of the South Pacific, a lone American submarine prowls the deep, its hull a silent sentinel against the backdrop of a world at war. The vessel, the Greyfish, is tasked with a mission that looms larger than any single convoy: to hunt down a Japanese aircraft carrier that once struck Pearl Harbor, while the ocean itself holds the fragile hopes of countless lives. The film unfolds in a claustrophobic, tension‑charged arena where the line between duty and conscience is as thin as the periscope’s view.
At the heart of this pursuit stands Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle, a seasoned commander whose resolve is tested by the knowledge that his own wife and child are among the prisoners being ferried across the sea. Doyle’s leadership is defined by a stoic professionalism that masks a simmering personal anguish, creating a portrait of a man torn between the abstract demands of war and the intimate grief of a father. His determination is both a driving force and a source of inner conflict, grounding the story in an emotionally resonant core.
Beside him, Lt. Archer “Archie” Sloan serves as second‑in‑command, a pragmatic officer whose ambition quietly vies with his loyalty. Sloan’s perspective offers a counterbalance to Doyle’s emotional weight, hinting at a rivalry that is less about malice and more about the harsh calculus of survival and advancement. Their interactions pulse with an undercurrent of mutual respect, unspoken tension, and the ever‑present question of who will ultimately bear the burden of command.
Against this backdrop, the film’s tone is a blend of stark realism and brooding suspense, letting the vast, unforgiving ocean become a character in its own right. The stakes are hinted at through the looming presence of the carrier and the fragile cargo it protects, promising a narrative where every decision reverberates far beyond the steel walls of the Greyfish. The audience is left to wonder how far a commander will go when the line between mission and morality blurs beneath the waves.
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