Submarine Command (1951)

A very good war film though has a fairly standard plot. White (William Holden) is a new executive officer on the US Navy submarine USS Tiger Shark in the last days of WW2. White has not yet seen any combat but when he does finally see some on the very last day of the war it does not end well, as his captain is killed. White blames himself, as do some of his crew like Boyer (William Bendix).

White stays in the Navy and settles down to shore life with Carol (Nancy Olsen) but he is still haunted by his actions in the war and this starts to affect his personal relationships, especially with Carol. Then there is a new war, in Korea, and USS Tiger Shark is reactivated and sent across the Pacific with White back in command. Can he finally find redemption during a highly dangerous mission?

So, not a highly original plot line but the film is very well executed and has a number of excellent action set-pieces. The film was one of the first war films to explore post-traumatic stress disorder and it's effects on soldiers long after the guns have gone silent.