本片根据汤姆·克兰西畅销名著改编。
1984年11月，苏联正处于戈尔巴乔夫上台前夕，也是美、苏两个超级大国明争暗斗的冷战高潮时期。苏联研制了一艘新型核潜艇“红十月号”，并派老练的雷米斯负责该艇的首次试航演习。此时，美国中央情报局也获取了有关“红十月”号的情报。途中，艇长雷米斯杀死了发现他隐私的专横政委并命令潜艇改变航向。他向全体官兵声称此举是要利用该艇先进的无声推进系统去通过美国海军的监视网并纵情游览美国的海岸线。一个苏联高级将领秘密挟带一艘超级军用潜艇“红月十月号”，究竟是想投奔美国，还是制造一场核战争？苏联国防部大为震动，遣派军队追捕，美国中央情报局亦派出精英部队拦截，一场联系美苏两国军事平衡的追击行动由此展开。

This documentary, made for PBS' American Masters series, explores the life and career of the renowned screenwriter and director Preston Sturges (1898-1959), whose few but very influential films managed to change the entire film industry. The documentary features clips from his films, and interviews with those who knew him well, including ex-wives. He was the first screenwriter to make the move to become a film director. He is best known for his unerringly light touch in dealing humorously with difficult topics, and directed one of the first widely successful spoofs of Hollywood, The Great McGinty. The director had a life as eventful and fraught with coincidences as anything in the movies, and this is recounted also. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide