Das Boot is a 1981 German war film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann. The movie takes place in 1941 during World War II and follows the crew of U-96, a German U-boat, as they embark on a dangerous mission in the Atlantic Ocean.
Led by their stern but respected captain, played by Prochnow, the crew sets out to sink Allied ships, but they soon realize that they are being hunted by Allied destroyers. The film shows the crew's struggle to survive below the surface, as they face dangerous depth charges and mechanical failures while also dealing with the psychological toll of living in a confined space for months on end.
As the mission goes on, tension among the crew builds, with fights and doubts arising about the purpose of their mission and the order to follow it at all costs. The engine room crew, played by Grönemeyer and Wennemann, faces particular challenges as they try to keep the outdated and temperamental submarine afloat.
The film is known for its realistic portrayal of life in a U-boat, with many scenes shot on a replica of the cramped interior, and for its visceral depictions of the effects of underwater explosions. It also explores the human consequences of war, as the crew grapples with the morality of their actions and the fear of not returning home.
The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving six Academy Award nominations and winning a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. It has since become a classic of German and war cinema, regularly ranked among the greatest films of all time.