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Here’s a partial guide to the heights--and depths--of the submarine film genre, graded for their intensity, with a sauna-like 10 the sweatiest:

Action in the North Atlantic (1943)--Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey, Julie Bishop and Ruth Gordon star in a sterling (and stirring) example of Hollywood-produced American propaganda about an American tanker sunk by a German submarine. Prime Bogey and much patriotism abound. Sweat factor: 5.

Destination Tokyo (1943)--Cary Grant turns in one of his most memorable performances in this undeniably dated flick about a secret mission during World War II to sneak into Tokyo Bay and gather strategic information from the enemy. John Garfield, Alan Hale and John Forsythe co-star. Sweat factor: 4.

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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)--Jules Verne’s classic novel about a futuristic submarine in the 1800s created by the demented Captain Nemo offers one of James Mason’s best performances and a swashbuckling Kirk Douglas, who even warbles a sailor’s song while playing the banjo. Sweat factor: 2.

Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)--One of the great examples of the genre, with a craggy Clark Gable and a stalwart Burt Lancaster engaging in fierce underwater arguments during World War II. Co-stars Jack Warden. Directed by Robert Wise. Sweat factor: 9.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)--The most famous submarine movie is also one of the worst. Cheesy dialogue and pedestrian performances by the once-great Walter Pidgeon and Joan Fontaine make this a must-see for kids only. Frankie Avalon sports so much hair spray he could go through an underwater explosion and look the same. Directed by Irwin Allen. Sweat factor: 1.

Ice Station Zebra (1968)--Spectacular underwater special effects, Michel Legrand’s sweeping score and several harrowing snow sequences help make this film one of the quintessential action movies of the ‘60s. Stars Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan and Jim Brown. Directed by John Sturges. Sweat factor: 7.

Yellow Submarine (1968)--This animated trifle from the Beatles is a surprisingly refreshing Technicolor marvel with its drier-than-dry wit made to go over children’s heads straight to the minds of appreciative adults. The film features a flying (and diving) submarine in a fantasy world 80,000 leagues beneath the sea and some of the Beatles’ best tunes, including “Eleanor Rigby” and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” Sweat factor: Nonexistent.

Das Boot (1981)--Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer and Klaus Wennemann star in Wolfgang Petersen’s adaptation of a novel by Lothar-Guenther Buchheim. The film is a compelling and riveting look at the experiences aboard one of Germany’s famed U-boats during World War II. Sweat factor: 10.

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The Hunt for Red October (1990)--John McTiernan’s blockbuster makes particularly effective use of its submarine footage and serves well as a dual star vehicle for Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. Sweat factor: 8.

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