Devil and the Deep is an early Cary Grant film, released years before he became a Hollywood icon. However, he plays a minor role here and is overshadowed by cast members Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, and Tallulah Bankhead.
Laughton plays Navy Commander Sturm, who suspects his wife Diana (Bankhead) is carrying on an affair with Lieutenant Jaeckel (Grant). Even after eavesdropping over a conversation where Diana flat-out admits she doesn’t have feelings for Jaeckel, Sturm remains unconvinced—almost to the point of delusion. Sturm then threatens to kill her, which drives Diana away into the arms of Lieutenant Sempter (Cooper). The rest of the film revolves around Sturm trying to enact revenge on his wife (who is having an affair for real this time).
The movie is best remembered for its talented cast, despite the fact Grant appears for only a few minutes. Laughton is almost cartoonishly evil in his depiction of the manic Sturm, and his performance is the one to remember, as Bankhead and Cooper cannot match his intensity. However, film buffs will appreciate Grant in a bit role here, and the cast is strong enough to warrant this a quality pick from the TCM crowd.