The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)
Meek and mild mannered bookkeeper Henry Limpet has few passions in life. It's mid-1941 and he would love to join the Navy but has been rated 4F. His friend George Stickle is in the Navy and lays it on pretty thick. If Henry could have one thing it would be to become a fish. While on a visit to Coney Island, Henry falls into the water and miraculously gets his wish. Now a fish, he makes friends, Ladyfish and Crusty the hermit crab and loves his new life. He also uses his abilities to help the US Navy locate and sink Nazi U-Boats, forcing the Germans to create a new weapon to deal with the Allies secret weapon. When years later the Navy finds intelligent activity among dolphins, they may also know who is teaching them.
The Fantastic Exploits Of The Most Daring Of Our Secret Fishes Agents!
Henry Limpet: What if I told you I was once a human being?
Ladyfish: I don't care how terrible your past was, Limpet.
Weeki Wachee, Florida, USA
Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
(Studio)
A limpet is a type of sea snail. A Limpet Mine is an explosive with a magnet so it can be attached to a metal ship. Since the mine sticks to the boat like a snail would, they are called limpet mines and usually attached by undersea divers or commandos.
This was the final animated film work released by Warner Brothers before the animation studio was shut down. Warners would continue to release theatrical shorts produced by Depatie-Freleng Enterprises until 1969.
Stephen Hillenburg studied the film's backgrounds for Spongebob Squarepants.
The premiere was shown in a huge underwater theater at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida.
The uniform Don Knotts is wearing during the "Super Doodle Dandy" scene is a Commodore Royal Naval Maritime Uniform.
Continuity
When George jumps in to "save" Henry, he takes off his shoes and tie, but keeps his jumper on. In the water and as he climbs back out of the water he is wearing only a tee shirt.
Factual errors
When the female office worker discovers the goldfish in the water cooler, a close-up reveals there is no hole in the bottom of the water container - no water could be dispensed.
Revealing mistakes
The Nazi Admiral and naval staff are all wearing US Navy uniforms (complete with rank strips and stars signifying their status as US officers of the line) but with swastikas on their caps and Maltese crosses in place of neckties.
(at around 10 mins) The shot of the people on the yacht is first played in reverse, then after the guy taps on the paper, it plays forward. You'll notice the people in the background on the right (behind the blonde in the red top) first walking backwards, then after the paper tapping, they're walking forward.
As the German U-boats are intercepting the US convoy, the lead U-boat's propellers are not spinning.
When George first signs a lantern on Henry as a fish, the highlights on the water behind him are visible through the animation.
Right at the start, the admiral and lieutenant are striding purposefully through the corridors of the Pentagon. The second set of doors they pass through is marked "Restricted Area" & "Secret". The doors are opened by two marines to reveal a long lighted corridor; this is shown to be a painting as the officers walk through the doorway but then go left instead of straight on; as the doors close behind them, the whole corridor dims briefly as they walk in front of a light.
Anachronisms
When Capt. Harlock reports to Adm. Spewter after Henry volunteers his services to the Navy, Spewter says "I'm going to have a hard enough time explaining this to the Pentagon." Henry volunteered shortly after hearing the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. The Pentagon was still under construction at that time.
When Henry's wife and friend are trying to save him, several people have gathered to watch the action. A young woman in this small crowd has a 1960s "flip" hairdo, yet it had been established earlier that the story takes place during World War II.
When Henry is dreaming about his military parade a flying wing is shown and is jet propelled. There were no jet propelled flying wings during WWII for the Americans.
When Henry first encounters the destroyer, the number is 752. DD-752 is the U.S.S. Alfred A. Cunningham. Construction was not started on the Cunningham until February 23, 1944, and wasn't launched until August 3, 1944, two and a half years after the time frame of the movie (just after Dec. 7, 1941).
Character error
When George does not want to go to the lecture he says that he has a weak heart, and then he puts his hand over the right side of his chest.