Line #3 Film/UnderTenFlags


1	[[quoteright:315:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/under_ten_flags.jpeg]]
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3	''Under Ten Flags'' (Italian: ''Sotto dieci bandiere'') is a 1960 Italian-American UsefulNotes/WorldWarII film directed by Duilio Coletti, starring Creator/VanHeflin, Creator/CharlesLaughton, and Creator/MyleneDemongeot.
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5	In 1941, Allied merchant ships are being sunk by the disguised German commerce raider ''Atlantis'', captained by Bernhard Rogge (Heflin), who seeks to fight the war in an honorable manner. Meanwhile, the British Admiralty and intelligence service coordinate their efforts to hunt and sink the ''Atlantis''.
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8	!!This movie has the following tropes:
9	* AbandonShip:
10	** Captain Windsor decides to [[RammingAlwaysWorks ram]] the ''Atlantis'' rather than surrender. However the African crewmen in the engine room panic and flee to the lifeboats, forcing the captain to give the order to abandon ship when he realises the situation is hopeless. Of course he has to add ThatsAnOrder, as heroic Brits would never willingly abandon ship like those cowardly Africans!
11	** Captain Rogge ends up giving his own order to abandon ship at the end. His men are not captured because the British cruiser didn't want to risk it with a U-boat in the area; the U-boat then rescues them once it's left.
12	* AdaptationalVillainy:
13	** The ''Atlantis'' was fired on by the British ship ''Kemmendine'' after it signaled its surrender, but a board of inquiry by the captains of both vessels determined that the man who fired the gun [[PoorCommunicationKills hadn't been aware of this]] because a ruptured steam pipe cut off communication with the stern of the ship where the gun was positioned. In this movie we have the captain of the ''Abdullah'' deliberately ordering his gunners to fire [[ISurrenderSuckers after raising a white flag]].
14	** The Admiralty was acting on much surer ground when they ordered the ''Devonshire'' to open fire on the fake ''Polyphemus'', because a ''Life'' magazine reporter had taken a photograph of the ''Atlantis'' while a prisoner on board the vessel.
15	* AnachronismStew
16	** Infra-red detectors were used during World War 2, only they were a lot bigger and cumbersome than the slim spy goggles seen here.
17	** Zizi has SixtiesHair, a [[TorpedoTits bullet-bra]] and short shorts. While she might have abandoned ship in her skivvies, she certainly wouldn't be dancing around in public dressed like that in the 1940's.
18	* AssholeVictim: The captain of the ''Abdullah'' shoves Zizi aside when climbing into a boat, so Paco throws him overboard.
19	* BasedOnATrueStory: A title card says that HOWEVER INCREDIBLE THEY MAY SEEM THE EVENTS NARRATED IN THIS PICTURE ACTUALLY OCCURRED. However...
20	** AmericaWonWorldWarII: The spy who steals the crucial Flower code that enables the Admiralty to sink the ''Atlantis'' is an American army officer. ''Atlantis'' was sunk on 22 November 1941. The United States did not declare war on Germany until December of that year (which is even shown by the ''Atlantis'' posing as a neutral Japanese vessel!)
21	** DatedHistory: Instead of doppelganger spies doing ''Mission Impossible''-type infiltrations of German headquarters, the codes were [[BoringButPractical actually obtained by the codebreakers of Bletchley Park]], a fact still classified at the time the movie was made. In fairness, Ultra decrypts were routinely passed off as intelligence obtained from spies or reconnaissance aircraft.
22	* BelligerentSexualTension: Kruge and Zizi.
23	* ButNotTooEvil: Kruger, the only member of the crew who believes in Nazi ideology, is presented as naïve due to his youth and Nazi indoctrination. Although he threatens to denounce Captain Rogge for not detaining the Jews on the ship, at the end he admits he had no intention of doing so.
24	* CantYouReadTheSign: There's a sign ([[TranslationConvention in English]]) on the door of the room where the spy goes to steal the code: ARE YOUR SECRET FILES LOCKED UP?
25	* CigarFuseLighting: The German officer who boards the ''Liverpool'' has a cigar sticking out of his mouth, which he uses to light the fuse on the demolition charges.
26	* CodeName: The Flower grid code used by the German navy substitutes the names of flowers for rendezvous points. A major part of the plot involves stealing the Flower code without the Germans knowing it so the ''Atlantis'' can be LuredIntoATrap.
27	* ConfrontingYourImposter: The {{doppelganger}} sent to steal the code from German naval headquarters is told he has [[CreatureOfHabit exactly ninety minutes]] before Captain Knoche returns from the Louvre. Unfortunately the Louvre is closed on that day and Knoche returns early, encountering the spy after he's left the building. As Knoche chases after him, a couple of spies in a backup car [[LookBothWays run him over]].
28	* DisguisedInDrag: The HornySailors on the ''City of Liverpool'' are eagerly checking out the kimono-clad women on a (then still neutral) Japanese vessel, until the 'women' cast aside their fans and parasols and race to man the guns.
29	-->'''First Mate:''' They're not girls, they're not even Japs--[[OhCrap they're Germans!]]
30	* DiveDiveDive: The ''Atlantis'' is refuelling a U-boat when the British cruiser ''Devonshire'' turns up, forcing them to crash dive leaving their captain on board. He's hopeful they can torpedo the cruiser, but an airplane circling overhead forces them to lower their periscope just as they're lining up the shot.
31	* DramaticIrony:
32	** Captain Windsor stuffs his codes into a weighted bag and throws it out the porthole. The leader of the BoardingParty tells him he shouldn't have bothered as the Germans already have their secret codes.
33	** Windsor notes the irony that he's dying from a shell fired from a British warship.
34	* EnemyEatsYourLunch: At one point Admiral Russell mentions that Rogge has stolen supplies from a British outpost and so is now gorging himself on Royal Navy rations. The man he's talking to expresses his sympathy...for the Germans.
35	* ForgedMessage
36	** When they pick up a ship transmitting, the Germans [[ImpededCommunication blow up the radio shack]], then send a fake radio signal saying the earlier message was a false alarm.
37	** The Admiralty sends a fake DistressCall from a U-boat so ''Atlantis'' can be LuredIntoATrap, but Rogge isn't fooled. After getting the Flower Code they contemplate sending another fake message, only to be informed Berlin puts a prearranged 'mistake' in each message to spot fake ones.
38	* GoingDownWithTheShip: The captain of the ''Liverpool'' refuses to abandon the ship he's captained for thirty years, but the BoardingParty just tell him he's got five minutes to collect his things and get dressed. We then see him grim faced on the ''Atlantis'' with the other prisoners as demolition charges send the ''Liverpool'' to the bottom. Ironically he ends up going down with the ''Atlantis'' when he's fatally wounded during the final battle, but he urges Rogge to save himself. "When peace comes, you'll be a good man to have around."
39	* HateSink: Seeing as there are no evil Germans in this movie, we have the captain of the ''Abdullah'' instead. He runs up the white flag, then forces his crew at gunpoint to fire on the ''Atlantis'' hoping to get the prize money, leading to his passengers being killed and injured when the ''Atlantis'' returns fire. He then tries to claim his crew opened fire without orders. After he gets beaten up by the other prisoners for putting their lives in danger, he denounces a Jewish couple in hope of gaining favour with his Nazi captors. Rogge gladly kicks him off his ship as soon as he has the chance.
40	* HeroesLoveDogs: The crew rescue a dog from the ''Liverpool'' and give it to Captain Rogge, who decides to call it Schnapps.
41	* HiddenWeapons: The raider's guns are hidden in collapsible cargo crates or parts of the hull that fold down when readying to fire.
42	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Captain Rogge of the ''Atlantis''.
43	* HoneyTrap: Film is shown of Captain Knoche leaving German naval headquarters with a pretty girl. It's explained that she's actually a former nurse from Glasgow. "They shot her a fortnight ago."
44	* HonorBeforeReason: Captain Rogge rejects the idea that they should sink ships without warning to prevent them signalling their location and description to the British Admiralty. He orders his men to get the prisoners off first if they are attacked. He refuses to detain the Jewish couple despite Kruger threatening to report him on their return to Germany, and makes sure they are dropped off at a neutral port instead of an Axis one. Captain Windsor notes the irony while [[FriendOrFoe he's dying from a British shell splinter]].
45	-->'''Windsor:''' You're a strange man, Rogge....full of mad ideas like fighting a clean war. There's no such thing. It's all foul and dirty and bloody. But you tried. You certainly gave it one hell of a try.
46	* HopelessSuitor: The portly Paco tries in vain to woo Zizi away from the handsome but duty-bound Lieutenant Kruger. Not that Zizi minds Paco; he's just nowhere near as good looking.
47	* ICantHearYou: The ''Atlantis'' transmits an increasingly weak DistressCall so they'll have an excuse not to answer by pretending their transmitter generator has failed. It makes no difference as the British open fire anyway.
48	* IdenticalStranger: With the help of MagicPlasticSurgery, a lookalike from Texas is able to pass himself off as a captain working in the German naval headquarters in Paris.
49	* ImperiledInPregnancy: Mrs. Braun is pregnant and traveling on false papers to hide the fact that she and her husband are Jewish.
50	* KilledMidSentence: Admiral Russell is not happy to get a DistressCall saying "SS Christina attacked by--" with [[LostInTransmission no further details on who's doing the attacking]]. He then gets a message saying it was a mistake and they're proceeding as planned. Cut to a life ring marked ''SS Christina'' floating on the water.
51	* LargeHam: Creator/CharlesLaughton appears to be channeling UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill (who admittedly used to run the Admiralty too) in his portrayal of the mercurial Admiral Russell.
52	* LaserHallway: Quite possibly the {{Trope Maker\|s}}, since the first real-life laser was built the same year. The spy has to steal the Flower code from a safe guarded by infra-red beams, which he sees using special goggles.
53	* UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar: Captain Rogge does his best to avoid the deaths of innocent civilians and sailors who've abandoned ship, and always runs up the German flag before engaging the enemy. He holds in contempt a captain who [[ISurrenderSuckers shows a white flag and then opens fire on him]], saying he'll be tried in an international court.
54	* MasterOfDisguise: Hence the title--the ''Atlantis'' can conceal itself as neutral or friendly vessels using false flags, deck crew in disguises, and altering the ship by repainting and altering the shape of the structure or funnels.
55	* MsFanservice: Zizi, played by the [[EveryoneLooksSexierIfFrench French actress]] Mylène Demongeot. Every scene she's in involves showing off her assets--[[LegFocus flashing her lovely legs]] while climbing a scramble net, [[GettingHotInHere stripped down to her bra in the sweltering prisoner hold]], teasing Kruger that her lifejacket is [[BuxomBeautyStandard too tight]] or dancing on deck in a [[HollywoodCostuming period-inappropriate]] [[TorpedoTits bullet bra]] and shorts.
56	* NeverTrustATrailer: That SuperDickery in the poster showing the ''Atlantis'' firing on the [[SinkTheLifeBoats lifeboats of the crew as they abandon ship?]] They actually fire on the ship because it fired on them first.
57	* NoSympathy
58	** On being told the Chairman of the ''Gloucester Castle'' Protest Committee has turned up to complain about their ship being searched by a British warship, Admiral Russel retorts: "Tell him to go to hell!"
59	** Russell is told an attempt to get hold of the Flower code [[LethallyExpensive ended with two Germans being hanged]]. Russell quips, [[BlackComedy "Well that's something!"]] His attitude changes when he's told about a [[MenAreTheExpendableGender female British spy being shot.]]
60	* SeaMine: The ''Atlantis'' is shown laying a sea minefield.
61	* SpotTheImposter: The ''Atlantis'' signals that they are the [[DressingAsTheEnemy British ship]] ''Polyphemus'', which is also in the area. The Brits try various methods to discern whether they are facing the real ''Polyphemus''. Admiral Russell decides to go with his GutFeeling and orders ''Devonshire'' to open fire rather than close for a BoardingParty, which would put them within range of the ''Atlantis'''s torpedoes.
62	* StockFootage of sinking merchantmen is used, as with all war movies made when movies were still in monochrome.
63	* StopOrIWillShoot: The shot-across-the-bow version, used by both sides.
64	* ShoutOut: Admiral Russell notes the ships disappearing without trace and quips that a [[Literature/TheHuntingOfTheSnark Boojum]] is involved.
65	* TemptingFate: Admiral Russell sends destroyers to the last known location of the ''Atlantis'' and says they'll have the raider in twenty-four hours. Instead the ''Atlantis'' sinks a destroyer with torpedoes, then evades the subsequent search.
66	* SarcasmMode: Admiral Russell wants a message sent to the naval base in Columbo (Sri Lanka).
67	-->"Russell speaking. ''(beat)'' Which Russell? I'll tell you: The one who roasts ignorant operators on the spit and eats them for his dinner--Admiral Russell! I've got an urgent message for Columbo. WHAT? Ohhhh yes, I think in cypher don't you? ''Or should we send it in German!''
68	* ShoePhone: The [[GogglesDoSomethingUnusual infra-red viewing glasses]] and Minox subminiature camera are hidden in a fake pistol magazine.
69	* ThanatosGambit: Instead of [[DefiantToTheEnd going down shooting]] (which will do no good as they're out of range) Rogge runs up the German flag but refuses to shoot, so the British can't be sure whether they've sunk a commerce raider or an unarmed auxiliary vessel, and will continue to waste resources searching for the ''Atlantis''.
70	* TheWarRoom: Admiral Russell's domain is the Admiralty operations room. The movie opens with the numerous shipping casualties being plotted on [[TheBigBoard The Big Table]].
71	* WorthyOpponent: Admiral Russell can't help admiring Captain Rogge, saying he's "Damn near everything a sailor ought to be."

Context Film / UnderTenFlags