The Enemy Below

The Enemy Below is an even-handed study of submarine warfare (during WWII) from the vantage point of both sides. The captain of an American destroyer, despite having lost his family in the war, endeavors to let his head rule his heart in combat. He encounters a German U-boat commander as honorable and compassionate as himself. The two men develop a grudging respect for one another as they pursue one another throughout the North Atlantic. Both vessels are destroyed; several days after the battle, the two men meet one another face to face for the first time, and chivalrously exchange salutes.