)
1971 - ASSAULT ON THE WAYNE
74 min
Prod: Bruce Lansburry
Dir: Marvin Chomsky
Comdr. Phil Kettenring: Leonard
Nimoy
Lt. Comdr. Dave Burston: Lloyed Haynes
Orville Kelly: Keenan Wynn
Ensign Sandover : Sam Elliot
)
The carefully selected crew of a submarine serving
under
Comdr. Phil Kettenring works on a top secret mission. It is the first nuclear submarine
to be used as a movable ABM site, it starts from San Diego heading for New Zealand. The captain
of the submarine "Anthony Wayne" is a no-nonsense commander, hes strict, clear and demanding
the most from everybody including himself. This seems to be a reason why hes going to separate
from his wife. There are only one or two people on the submarine he talks to in a private
manner.
First impressions play a vital part for him, his mind is set quickly, and he's not easily
changing it.
The crew: Lt. Comdr. Dave Burston First officer; Orville Kelly quarter master, friend of
Phil and down in rank because of drinking; Dr. Frank Reardon doctor; Lt. Comdr. Skip Langley
first mate; Sandover Ensign; Dr. Dyers - a civilian in care of the top secret device;
and other coworkers.
Most of the crew members do not know each other, so nobody is aware that one sailor, Karp, has been killed and another person took over his identity and place. The project is obviously jeopardized by a well planned plot. Captain Phil Kettenring suffers from medical problems, just out of sick bay, he's still on medication. The crew suspects that this might be one of the reasons why he's so extremely strict.
)
Commander Kettenring visits Dr. Dykers to learn about the two computers he uses to
operate the missile control system and to check the equipment's absolute safety they are
kept in a special safe, the only keys in the hands of the Commander. While they were talking
about the equipment Dr. Dykers does not make a secret of his evaluation concerning the submarine
staff, the "unimportant moles". Phil reveals some of his humor by naming himself an
"unimportant mole" later on in the discussion. After Phil has left, the doctor's helper
appears Karp, the impostor. Phil Kettenring who does not look healthy just got some
"vitamin"
pills from Dr. Reardon and left there when Karp enters the doctor's room reporting about the
equipment and it's whereabouts.
A screwdriver was found for which no one claims ownership. The correct and suspicious Captain
orders every inch of the submarine to be searched for anything else which does not belong there.
Even private pictures are taken away.
Orville Kelly reports to his friend that in contrast to the others Karp did not have any private picture in his possession in spite of the fact that his wife is pregnant. Shortly before the destination is reached the submarine receives a distress call from an nearby island. Amongst the people the sick captain send for rescue are Dr. Reardon and Ensign Sandover. On the island Sandover discovers that something is wrong and tries to send a wireless message to the submarine to warn them only to be shot during the attempt and thrown down the cliff. The crew rescues an injured naturalist and wonder whether to believe that Sandover, an experienced sailor, could have fallen down the cliff.
While the rescue of the naturalist and the search for Sandover's body go on, Kelly warns Phil about Karp he had mentioned a camp he was trained at a time after Kelly had asked him. And Kelly wonders: At that time he himself had been there and trained a lot of recruits, being aware that he could not possible be able to remember every single recruit. But Karp had not recognized him. Kelly knew: A trainee would never forget a trainer in such a camp. Kettenring insists that the search for Sandover's body goes on and takes Kellys hint seriously going to investigate. He brakes down on his way to Karp. By now Dr. Reardon has cared for the naturalist in sick bay warning him not to abandon his show even when alone in case someone might enter unexpectedly.
)
By now Commander Kettenring is forced to stay in bed and given more pills. He pretends to
swallow them, but keeps them in is palm and falls asleep. Now the conspirators gather to plan
the plot more precisely, deciding on planting two bombs to go off in 60 minutes.
Amongst Dr. Reardon, the naturalist and "Karp" is Phil's 15 year long acquaintance 1st officer
Burston. Burston takes over control at the bridge.
Kelly discovers a cut wire in the radio room and goes to wake up the captain. The captain
enters the bridge and finds the submarine off its ordered course. When Burston disobeys he
begins to shout trying to fight his orders. He looks very sick indeed and his shouting gives
the impression that he's delirious by medication or sickness. He's overpowered by the crew and
taken from the bridge. Meanwhile Kelly has discovered Karp who's busy with a bomb.
They too fight and the bomb explodes.
Only Kelly survives. In the confusion of the blast Kettenring escapes from the room where he was held and discovers that the computers have been removed. Meeting Burston who tries to control him with a gun he cannot convince him to maintain his loyalty, but finds out that a second bomb is going to detonate in 8 minutes. He uses a chance to overwhelm him. During the fight a shot goes of killing Burston. In time a helicopter arrives for the conspirators to take them and the equipment off the sub. Kettenring grabs a rifle and shoots at the helicopter causing it to turn off. The injured Kelly has a hard time finding the second bomb, but succeeds and manages to stop it. They regain control of the sub. When Kelly and Phil talk again in private, Phil decides to review his attitude towards people (for he realized that Burston had not been the person he thought him to be) and to give his wife a call and their marriage another chance.
