Factual error: Throughout the movie, all sorts of messages are passed over the 1MC (ship's intercom) when the boat is supposed to be stealthy. They've set "Ultra Quiet" to avoid the enemy sub but no-one was any quieter, and everyone was still using the 1MC. Worse, people are shouting commands and status updates, both in person, and over the intercom! No wonder that Akula found them. The only thing protecting this ship was plot armor! In real life, messages would be passed quietly using sound powered phones (which we also see), rather than blasting the info loudly to the entire crew, because sonar will literally pick up the sounds of loudspeakers and people shouting. Let's not even mention classified target data being passed to the entire ship's crew on the 1MC. (00:49:00)
Crimson Tide (1995)
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Viggo Mortensen, George Dzundza, Matt Craven
Continuity mistake: When the incomplete second EAM is shown in the movie for the first time, its subject line states "nuclear missile launc..." However, when this same message is finally received at the end of the movie the subject line states: "terminate launch all missiles". If the first one had been consistent with the second this would have made quite a difference. (00:55:45 - 01:45:25)
Factual error: After the 2nd sub attack, while Hunter is in charge, a call is made from conn to maneuvering, to restore propulsion as soon as possible. It shows a young black dude answering back on the MC, having to yell over the noise of water spraying everywhere. This was laughable. Maneuvering is the control room for the nuclear power plant. It's all control panels and 4 technicians plus the EOOW, a nuclear-trained officer or senior enlisted, who would be answering back to conn. There wouldn't be any flooding going on there. (01:09:45)
Trivia: Quentin Tarantino did uncredited script work on this film.
Trivia: In the beginning of the movie, where it shows a rather scenic footage of the sub about to dive, the exact shot was also used in G.I. Jane. Note that Crimson Tide was directed by Tony Scott and GI Jane by brother Ridley. A bit of sibling teamwork?
Trivia: I just saw the movie Crash Dive 2 (which is also about submarines and also involves an enemy Akula-class sub) and it has many recycled scenes from Crimson Tide. To name a few: the scene where the sub does a "snap shot" of two torpedoes, the scene of the Akula being hit, and the scene where a torpedo barely misses the heroes' sub.
Capt. Ramsey: I expect and demand your very best. Anything less, you should have joined the Air Force.
Hunter: In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself.
Hunter: Chief of the Boat.
Chief of the Boat: Sir?
Hunter: Thank you, COB.
Chief of the Boat: Thank you? Fuck you! Get it straight Mr Hunter, I'm not on your side. Now you could be wrong! But wrong or right, the Captain can't just replace you at will. That was completely improper! And that's why I did what I did. By the book.
Hunter: I thank you anyway.
Question: I know that this film was set in the 1990s but even then, was smoking permitted on US submarines? It would seem a bit odd given that the crew are relying on recycled oxygen.
Question: The disagreement between Hunter and Ramsey centers on the interpretation of the message that got cut off - Hunter says it might be a recall order so it has to be verified before they launch missiles; Ramsey says it is meaningless because it got cut off, so they should proceed with their original orders. I do understand that the captain was working within a scary time limit (one hour till the Russians could fire their missiles), but I don't understand how anyone could justify not spending part of that hour trying to confirm the cut-off message. Naval command would hardly have radioed them again to say "Yes, we really want you to fire your missiles, we're just telling you again for emphasis," so that means it was not just possible but extremely likely that the cut-off message was a recall order. Given that, how could anyone in their right mind want to cause a nuclear holocaust without first trying to find out what the cut-off message really said?
Answer: In a war situation, the Captain is absolutely NOT allowed to try and contact anyone, lest it gives their position away, which is why he was unable to question or confirm the order.
Question: If the radio antenna was cut, how in the world did they get communication? It seems they were working on the radio on the sub, what good would that do if there was no antennae?
Chosen answer: The ship has a second antenna, but the radio is damaged during the torpedo attack. Therefore they have to fix it in order to use the backup antenna.
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Answer: In the most technical sense ("by the book") it is against policy. But then, the Marines do not allow tattoos and look how well that's enforced. It is up to the ship's Captain to enforce such regulations, and at sea, there's no one to penalize him if he chooses to let the crew smoke at certain times, given certain conditions.
johnrosa