The year is 1864 and the Union Army is suffocating Charleston, S.C., birthplace of the Civil War, with a blockade, then shelling the city at night.
Gen. Beauregard (Donald Sutherland) realizes the outlook is grim, but has hopes a new underwater vessel can break that blockade.
The vessel is called The Hunley and is commanded by Lt. George Dixon (Armand Assante) with the help of Lt. Alexander (Alex Jennings).
Unfortunately, the vessel has already sank twice, killing 13 men, including the man it’s named after. So when Dixon goes looking for a new crew aboard Confederate ships, no one volunteers.
At least not until after another hard night of shelling of Charleston. After that, he can hand pick his crew of eight and begins training them for an attack on the U.S. fleet.
But he’ll have to find a new manner of delivering the explosives.
Rumors about the Confederate vessel has reached the Union naval commanders. And they’re beginning to take defensive measures, including dropping netting and moving ships to shallow water.
Armand Assante as Lt. George Dixon, ready to prove his point with The Hunley in The Hunley (1999)
Donald Sutherland as Gen. Beauregard, haunted by Shiloh and hoping for a submarine miracle in The Hunley (1999)
Review:
An attention-grabbing opening featuring one of The Hunleys failed missions sets the stage for a better than average TV movie.
The Hunley was indeed the first submarine to sink a warship (the USS Housatonic) in battle, something that wouldn’t happen again until 1914. And it did sink twice prior to its successful mission.
Assante turns in a solid performance as an officer haunted by the death of his wife, just passing time until they’re reunited in the afterlife.
The damaged gold coin he carries is also partly true; a gold coin is credited with stopping a bullet and saving his leg at Shiloh and was found with him when The Hunley was recovered in 2000, the year after this film was released.
The sunken sub wasn’t located until 1995, more than 130 years after it went down. It’s now on display at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in Charleston.
As for the film, it’s a bit too formulaic — not to mention downright hokey in spots — to be wholly successful as quarreling crew members transform into a dedicated team just in time for a dangerous mission.
Fortunately, it benefits from the unique subject matter and from a well-filmed depiction of that mission.
Alex Jennings as Lt. Alexander, heading out to a new assignment on The Hunley (1999)
Sebastian Roche as Collins, the loner of an Irishman who volunteers to serve in The Hunley (1999)
Directed by:
John Gray
Cast:
Armand Assante … Lt. George Dixon
Donald Sutherland … Gen. Beauregard
Alex Jennings … Lt. Alexander
Chris Bauer … Simkins
Gerry Becker … Capt. Pickering
Michael Dolan … Becker
Sebastian Roche … Collins
Michael Stuhlbarg … Wicks
Jeff Mandon … Miller
Frank Vogt … Ronald White
Jack Baun … Ridgeway
Kevin Robertson … Carlson
Caprice Benedetti … Dixon’s Wife
Runtime: 94 min.
Chris Bauer as Simkins, thankful for a favor from Lt. Dixon in The Hunley (1999)
Frank Vogt as Ronald White, a teenager determined to join the crew in The Hunley (1999)
Memorable lines:
Lt. George Dixon: “Are you a drinking man?”
Young officer who’s brought news of a test failure and the loss of lives of everyone aboard: “No, sir.”
Dixon: “If you hang around here, you will be.”
Gen. Beauregard, after the test mission fails: “It is my profound hope that you can provide me with some information about what the hell was in Capt. Hunley’s mind?”
Lt. Dixon: “I think he wanted to prove he could pilot that thing himself, sir.”
Gen Beauregard: “The only thing he proved is that the damned boat is more dangerous to us than it is to the enemy.”
Lt. Anderson: “I’ve found that (the danger of) being blown up is an excellent cure for sea sickness.”
Lt. Anderson: “What are you fighting for, George?”
Lt. Dixon: “I don’t know. Maybe something that’s already lost.”
Lt. Anderson: “Then what are you living for?”
Lt. Dixon shrugs.
Gen. Beauregard to Lt. Dixon: “We are both romantics in an age of barbarism.”
Michael Stuhlbarg as Wicks, a volunteer who joins the crew in The Hunley (1999)
Michael Dolan as Becker, the hard-fighting, French-speaking volunteer on The Hunley (1999)
Caprice Benedetti as Dixon’s late wife, appearing in one of his visions in The Hundley (1999)
Armand Assante as Lt. George Dixon, discussing plans with Gen. Beauregard in The Hunley (1999)
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