Dawn (1933): A claustrophobic look at duty and survival

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for black-and-white war dramas that don't rely on constant action, you might actually get sucked into Dawn. It’s definitely not for folks who need a high-octane pace or modern jump-scares. If you appreciate films that let silence and small, sweaty rooms do the heavy lifting, give it a shot. If you want a fun Friday night flick, look elsewhere.

The whole thing kicks off with a shore leave segment that feels oddly domestic. You get to see the crew back home with their families, which is a classic setup, I know. But it works because of the weight hanging over Captain Liers. His mom has already lost two sons to the war. You can see her eyes tracking his every movement like she’s counting down the seconds until he’s gone again.

Under the waves

Once they hit the water, the movie shifts gears hard. It stops being about the politics of the war and starts being about the physics of metal sinking. That sub—it feels tiny. You can almost smell the damp, metallic air in the bridge scene. When they get hit and end up sitting at the bottom of the ocean, the movie really finds its footing. It’s claustrophobic in a way that feels honest, not like a stage set.

• The radio-operator’s nervous energy is palpable.
• The way the light reflects off the water leaking into the hull is genuinely unsettling.
• I kept thinking about The Singapore Mutiny and how different the stakes feel when the enemy isn't just a person, but the sea itself.

The moral dilemma at the end—the eight rescue devices for ten men—is the kind of thing that could easily be cheesily written. Thankfully, the actors don't overplay it. There isn't a long, soaring speech about the nature of man. It’s just tired men staring at gear they know isn't enough. It's quiet. It's messed up.

The camera work isn't trying to be fancy, and that’s for the best. It mostly just stares at their faces, which works because the tension is written all over them. Honestly, the way they handle the ending is refreshing. They don't give you a neat little bow to wrap things up. It just stops. It leaves you feeling a bit hollow, which I think is the point.

If you're digging through old archives, this one has more character than a lot of the stuff from that era. It’s a bit rough around the edges, sure. But it doesn't try to be something it isn't. Just a bunch of guys in a sinking can, making decisions that nobody should ever have to make. ⚓