Suicide Fleet (1931)

Interesting facts

Suicide Fleet is a 1931 American pre-Code war film directed by Albert S. Rogell, written by Lew Lipton and F. McGrew Willis, and starring William Boyd, Robert Armstrong, James Gleason, and Ginger Rogers. It was released on November 20, 1931, by RKO Pictures.

Production

In early March 1931, RKO announced that Boyd's first picture with the fledgling studio would be the submarine drama, Suicide Fleet. The original title of the film was Mystery Ship, referring to the clandestine nature of the ship communicating with the Germans.

Several thousand extras were employed by RKO for the filming. Ginger Rogers, who had appeared in several smaller roles for Paramount Pictures, with whom she was under contract, was given her first starring role in this film.

The film was partially shot at the San Pedro Naval Base, as well as on the studio's Culver City studio. In late August, the cast and crew spent several weeks at sea filming, 25–50 miles off the coast of San Diego, California, in cooperation with the United States Navy, before returning to the Culver City studio. During this time, an actual obsolete navy vessel was sunk during filming.

The film employed a new type of portable sound recording equipment, which employed the dual system of film and sound on separate recording reels. The unit was smaller, weighed less, and was more portable than other units of the era.

RKO announced in early November that the film was scheduled for release Thanksgiving weekend. Joe Kane began the final editing of the picture shortly after. On November 16, RKO announced that the film would be released on November 20. The film opened at the Mayfair Theater, whose front had been "converted" into a replica of US Navy battleship, on November 20, 1931. The film ended production $85,000 over budget.

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