More than 70 years since its first release, this original War film is having a resurgence as film fans continue to discover it.
The 1953 movie The Cruel Sea is based on the best-selling novel and set during the turmoil of the second world war. According to the British Film Institutes list, it ranks itself as one of the top 100 British films, sitting at number 75.
A Rotten Tomatoes review claims:“An excellently done British war film focusing on the navy escorts during WWII. The acting is strong enough and in the latter half of the film it gets quite dark and more thoughtful. It was atmospheric and tense too. A fine early war film.”
Following the treacherous journey of the British Royal Navy, The Cruel Sea is a fictitious story based on real-life events during the Battle of the Atalan. What makes the film stand out amongst its counterparts is the fact it was made just seven years after the end of the war.
Known for his portrayal of military men, Jack Hawkins established himself as one of the most popular British film stars of the 1950s era and played the lead role of George Ericson in the film.Before his death in 1973, Hawkins was best known for his roles in the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, Land of the Pharaohs and Zulu.
“This movie has a genuine realism that movies today just can’t achieve.” one review states, adding: “It relied heavily on the performance put in by Hawkins which was excellent.”
The drama portrays the conditions of the battle at sea between the Royal Navy and Germany’s U-boats, told through the perspective of the British naval officers. In a documentary-style retelling of events, the film depicts a captain who is haunted by the loss and is determined to seek revenge.
After losing his men in a previous sea battle, the captain is assigned a new mission to steer the new H.M.S ship and is tried and tested by the treacherous weather conditions. Not only this, but the ship faces turbulent attacks for the enemy that nearly destroys the entirety of the ship
Many have praised the film for its realism, which could be due to its closeness to the events of the war themselves. A critic wrote: “The dialogue and the violence may be sanitised, but some of the ordeals faced by the story’s servicemen are scenes of powerful psychological horror.”
Donald Sinden, Stanley Baker, Liam Redmond and Moira Lister made up the film’s prominent 50s cast. Filming itself took place at Ealing studios, which also happened to be the production company behind the movie, as well as in Plymouth’s Naval Dockyard.
Also appearing in the classic war film is Virginia McKenna, a film icon who is one of the very few British actors to have completed the British Triple Crown. Interestingly, it was on set that she met her ex husband Denholm Elliott, who stars in the film, and the pair went on to marry the following year.
Viewers can catch the ‘excellent ‘ war film on BBC iPlayer now.