a5c7b9f00b Richard Houston, a former Naval officer who deserted because of gambling debts, rejoins the U.S. Navy under a fictitious name, after the Japanese attack Pear Harbor. He makes friends with Chief Petty Officer &quot;Fixit&quot; Smith, who takes him home where Houston meets Smith&#39;s niece, Mary. Houston, with his prior service, makes quick progress and is soon promoted to Gunner&#39;s Mate, along with Seaman Elliott Nash, his chief rival for Mary. During a diving operation, Nash saves Houston&#39;s life but Lieutenant Ralph Gilpin discovers a watch in Houston&#39;s pockets inscribed to Richard Houston, and starts an investigation into his real identity. Houston, to win money for an engagement ring for Mary, gambles and overstays his shore-leave, and his friend Smith takes his place and is killed when the Minesweeper strikes a Jap mine. Houston discloses his true identity to Mary and plans to desert again. But after hearing an emergency broadcast for all Navy men to report to their base, he returns and is placed on a minesweeper with Nash to locate a new type of Japanese mine in the harbor. A naval officer who had deserted several years earlier is drawn back to the Navy when World War II begins. He re-enlists under an assumed name, and is assigned to a minesweeper, where he has to perform hazardous duties while at the same time keeping his real identity a secret. &quot;Minesweeper&quot; is a somewhat melodramatic but interesting World War II drama that has a pretty good story and that also takes a look at one of the less familiar aspects of the war. There are also some moments of real suspense and tension. The print that aired recently was unfortunately not very good, so viewing it involves accepting some distractions, but it has a number of points of interest to compensate.<br/><br/>Richard Arlen starsa naval officer who had deserted a few years before the war, but who finds himself drawn back to the Navy when the war breaks out. Helped by a friendly family, he assumes a new identity and re-enlists under his new name. Throughout the action that follows, he is faced with numerous dangerous missions, while also living in constant fear that his true identity will be discovered. He also finds himself involved in romantic complications. It all builds up to a climactic sequence of events that, while rather melodramatic, is action-packed and rather surprising.<br/><br/>Arlen&#39;s ship is a minesweeper, and the film incorporates some interesting details on the job that such ships had to do in keeping shipping lanes and harbors free of mines. The hazards involved also lead to some rather tense moments of drama.<br/><br/>The movie is not too long, and moves fairly quickly. It should hold some interest for most fans of old war movies. Richard Arlen is a hobo looking to join up to fight in the just started WW2. He meets up but Big Boy Guinn who is in the Navy Reserve and who manages to get Arlen into the service. What know one knows is that Arlen was an officer who went AWOL several years before and now is trying to hide his identity. Good, &quot;rah rah&quot; war effort film about the men who seek to defuse mines. A bit soapy at times with the tales of lost loves and noble sacrifice, this the sort of thing they don&#39;t make any more for a good reason, it can seem awfully silly. Running just over an hour the film moves along at a good clip and never over stays its welcome. Worth a look if you run across it and are in the mood for a wartime programmer.
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