A comedy-drama about life aboard a Navy cargo ship in Pacific waters during the waning days of World War II. In the Navy Register it is listed as 'The Reluctant, ' but to its crew it is known as 'The Bucket.' The monotonous non-combat duty of a fun-loving crew is enlivened by a feud between the petty, intolerant martinet of a captain and an impetuous, highly-respected cargo officer whose continuous efforts to get a transfer to combat duty are blocked...

During World War II, a group of Navy men are sent to steal Enigma (the nazis' top-secret decoding device). When their own ship is destroyed, they must secretly make their way through hostile waters in a severely damaged Nazi U-boat to safety with the device.

A combat-weary, paranoic Captain Queeg, loses his nerve during a typhoon and is relieved of command by his first officer.