The Cruel Sea (1953) User Reviews

A Tribute to Tony Cox

[m0rphy · 8/10 · 4 February 2004]

Tony Cox's review is one of the best I have ever read on Imdb and says it all with heartfelt passion, accurately describing the drama and characters motivations in this realistic film of anti U-boat sea warfare throughout WWII.I won't try to emulate his brilliant narrative but just add a few thoughts of my own.Jack Hawkins is always very watchable in any of his films as an actor and seems to inhabit the part of Ericsson, the skipper of "Compass Rose" and "Saltash Castle".He vividly portrays the professional and emotional sides of his character, especially when he utters "...its the war, the bloody war" with tear stained eyes.

One has to disabuse your mind of later Donald Sinden parts and his rather stagey voice and look dispassionatly at his early carrer as he portrays the new No.1 with an interest in learning first aid which inevitably comes in useful when tending the many merchant seaman they meet who have become torpedo victims.Can someone please tell me what "snorkers" are when applied to sausages, as I have never heard this expression, despite living in London all my life.Evidently Stanley Baker loves them!!

This film effectively portrays the whole gamut of wartime emotions from the long Atlantic naval voyage boredom, short moments of high danger and excitement, guilt about not rescuing your own men who need help, sorrow at losing loved ones, training men on new sciences (asdic) and even romance (Viginia McKenna).At the end one feels as though you had actually been on the corvette yourself with the crew.One of the most realistic WWII dramas I have ever seen (and I have all the classics in my library).I rated it 8/10.

Gritty war movie , minus the usual propaganda.

[DB-55 · 8/10 · 29 September 1999]

Fine English war movie of life aboard a convoy escort ship during WWII. It's original B&W format only adds to the overall feel of the movie. Great no-nonsense performances from the cast. The movie is notable in that it is almost free of propaganda and instead concentrates on showing the crews life on board in a realistic way.Jack Hawkins turns in a fine performance.

A Good Understated English Movie About WWII

[writerasfilmcritic · 8/10 · 18 June 2005]

This understated movie is a good example of England's library of WWII films which refuses to indulge in the campy style that pervades far too many of the American films about that historic and horrible conflict. Hawkins is convincing as the determined captain of Compass Rose, a small sub-hunting escort for convoys moving material from the US to Britain. He is ably supported by his officers, who realistically portray inexperienced civilians pressed into the war effort and turned into sailors. I especially liked the scene where one of them mocks the first mate's love of sausages: "Snorkers! Good-oh!" When at port and interacting with the civilian population, the low-key realism continues. Nice, believable characters are simply snuffed out by German bombs from direct hits on their homes. The action out on "the cruel sea" is not hyped, but presented as it actually must have occurred, including the killing of unlucky English sailors who simply get in the way and the portrayal of the enemy as human beings fighting for their country, however misguided was its leadership. If you want a lot of explosions and baloney, there are plenty of other WWII films that will fill the bill. If you want a good story about real war, see this one.

Superb for 1950's Brit movie

[swjg · 20 August 2004]

Post British World War II movies helped sustain the ailing British Film industry in the 1950's. There were some truly awful movies made - probably so those who were really there could turn to their girls and say - "you know it wasn't really like that".

The Cruel Sea is an exceptional exception. Firstly it is based on a superb book, secondly it is well cast with Jack Hawkins at the height of his powers playing Captain Ericsson and thirdly it is well abridged. Getting a 500 page novel into 121 mins means that there will be cuts - but they are well done and the narrative thread of the book is not lost. There is also very little "messing with the story" so prevalent in Hollywood.

The Royal Navy obviously thought the movie worth supporting and helped find a real Flower Class corvette. Of all 135 built - 22 had been sunk by the enemy, 13 lost in bad weather and the rest paid off after the war. "Compass Rose" sails across the screen - firing her weapons and throwing her depth charges (you want to see what REAL depth charges are like when they go off - watch this) in beautifully photographed black and white action sequences.

Suspend your historical accuracy regarding true ship detail however - throughout the movie the Flower is in her 1945 paid off configuration with a lantern style radar that wasn't introduced till half way through the war and the continuity switches from moderate weather to flat calm at the flick of a scene as needed when the ship is making turns. Still you want to see heavy weather - there is some real rough stuff with the corvette punching into it and some stock wartime footage very carefully grafted in to give the necessary verisimilitude.

But the real narrative is how the specks of humanity are treated by the war and the cruel sea and it is amply conveyed in the morning after a torpedo'ing. Count how many are INCREDIBLY lucky to be found alive in rafts and remember how many were on the ship that was sunk in the night. It's a grim ratio and a vivid portrayal of the real cost of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Young and upcoming Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliot and Virginia McKenna support this superb movie - it made Donald Sinden.

I hope there is a DVD coming because the photography is clearly good enough to be shown at a higher resolution but this should not stop you watching this now.

My father's experience in the Royal Navy

[ray-jean · 10/10 · 25 December 2003]

My father served in the Royal Navy for 42 years. He joined in 1914 and retired in 1956 and was in active service throughout both World Wars. He told me that the film 'The Cruel Sea' was the most realistic account of how it was during those terrible times.

A well deserved salute to the Royal Navy's little ships

[smiley-39 · 10/10 · 24 July 2003]

"The men are the heroes. The heroines are the ships. The only villain is the sea, the cruel sea." A truthful statement made by that accomplished actor, the late Jack Hawkins, as Ericson a merchant navy captain in peacetime. But in the naval reserve and now appointed captain of His Majesty's Ship, COMPASS ROSE, a flower class corvette. In reality is was christened, H.M.S. COREOPSIS (K32).

The first British maritime casualty in The Battle of the Atlantic was the Donaldson Line's ATHENIA, torpedoed and sunk by U-Boat-30, Lt Fritz Lemp commanding, less than 8 or 9 hours after Britain declared war, September 3rd 1939.

The Atlantic battle was the longest fought campaign of the war. Only ending when what was left of the German U-Boat fleet surfaced, wherever they may be, to rendezvous and surrender to ships of the allied navies in May 1945. The story of this lone corvette then, displayed just a small but nevertheless vital role of the Royal Navy's "little ships", as they became known, that took part in this vast oceanic conflict.

Ericson develops a faintly worried facial expression camouflaged with a slight smile when he meets up with two of his recently commissioned "green" young officers, who have just reported aboard ship after only five weeks of training, as she lays at the fitting out dock and nearing completion for sea trials. Lockhart tells Ericson that his only nautical experience was sailing a 5 ton yawl on the Solent. Ferraby, the other officer had done one channel crossing to France on a ferry in peace time. Ericson's first lieutenant, known in naval terms as number one, is Bennett. An overbearing officer; the gold lace on his sleeve having gone to his head. To him it was authority, and let no one ever forget it! Bennett soon lands ashore in the naval hospital with a suspected ulcer.

The first scenes of war at sea; and close up, are sobering and ugly. Shots of rescued survivors from sunken merchantmen. Cold wet and gasping for breath and trying to hang on to life. Coughing and throwing up oil, their lungs full of the smelly black slime. Some of the poor devils make it. Others do not and are committed back to the deep cruel sea....And into the God's care.

The hunt for U-Boats is well filmed. One boat? Maybe a wolf pack lurking out there with deadly intent. COMPASS ROSE manoeuvring, its asdic/sonar equipment working like a bloodhound's nose, sniffing for a kill.

Ericson's stiff upper lip falters when he orders depth charges to be dropped among struggling survivors in the water when he suspects a U-boat lurking under them. Later, alcohol does not really help to salve his conscience. Another poignant scene is of Petty Officer Tallow on shore leave and heading for his sister's house accompanied by Petty Officer Watts. And only to find his sister's house demolished, and his sister killed during a night-time Luftwaffe blitz on Liverpool.

It is the turn of COMPASS ROSE to become a victim of a U-Boat's torpedo. It strikes at night with surprising suddenness. Ten men out of the ship's company survive the ordeal on carley floats to be rescued. Ericson is appointed to command a new class of corvette named, SALTASH CASTLE, along with promotion to full commander. The corvette is ordered to escort duty on the arctic run to Murmansk via the North Cape of Norway. Near the end Ericson can claim a second U-Boat sunk.

In the closing scenes of the film with the war over, SALTASH CASTLE slowly slips by a group of surrendered U-Boats moored together, as she arrives at her anchorage. After anchoring, Ericson's call, "Finished with main engine," gives a nice ring to the final scenes in this film. There is an air of relaxation between Ericson and Lockhart as they reminisce on the ship's bridge. They talk of men who never made it through to the end. Morell, Ferraby, Tallow, Watts and the other crew members. A tiny fraction of the high cost who now lay in a vast watery grave along with other brave men and many fine ships.

Documentary footage adds to the authentic feel of this film, coupled some of the time with a mournful musical soundtrack, which seems to add a depressing atmosphere to an often dangerous and angry looking ocean. Sailing in a Atlantic gale under wartime conditions, could sink to the level of waterlogged purgatory.

Eric Ambler did a admirable job of adapting Nicholas Monsarrat's fine novel for the screen. Director Charles Friend turned Ambler's work into the best film ever made about the Royal Navy in the Second World War.

I sailed with a Merchant Navy skipper who commanded a Flower class corvette. He said that in stormy conditions they would indulge in some weird antics. "The Flower class corvettes," he said "would have pitched and rolled in a field of wet grass. Let alone a bloody great ocean!"

Realistic and enthralling depiction of the Battle of the Atlantic

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 26 September 2016]

Another fine British war movie of the 1950s. This one tackles the subject of the war in the Atlantic and features the crew of a British warship as they tackle the U-Boat menace. The film is based on a non-fiction novel by Monsarrat and thus has a ring of authenticity to it. There's certainly no jingoism or flag-waving here, just a sweaty and suspenseful account of what it's like to fight submarines in a theatre where the sea itself is an enemy.

The cinematography is fine and the story gives a fair balance to both characters and plot. As is usual for this era, the cast is very fine, ranging from Jack Hawkins as the rugged sea commander to Denholm Elliott and Donald Sinden as his fresh-faced recruits. Stanley Baker has another stand-out turn as the sausage-loving first officer. Even Virginia McKenna is here, years before she became known for her work on BORN FREE. I wouldn't call THE CRUEL SEA quite top-tier material but it's certainly an enthralling and moving film nonetheless and above average for its genre.

The definitive naval war movie

[rps-2 · 10/10 · 19 August 2000]

The Cruel Sea is a powerful film that puts you in the battle of the Atlantic. The black and white photography unintentionally conveys the gritty reality of a grim war.(Somebody has said that World War II was a war fought in black and white.) And although the special effects are primitive by today's standards, they are still pretty impressive. The film is an prime example of the post war school of British cinema before it was subsumed by Hollywood. It is a fine film, a fine war film and a fine piece of accurate history.

The Sea Outside

[sol- · 7/10 · 28 February 2016]

Life aboard a naval vessel during World War II proves difficult for its inexperienced crew in this Oscar nominated British drama. The film principally pivots around the ship's captain, played by Jack Hawkins, and the hard decisions he has to make, however, the film is jam-packed with subplots and various supporting characters take centre light throughout. To this end, the film is structured in a highly episodic manner that sometimes proves distancing as the film feels like a bunch of loosely related stories clustered together rather than a cohesive whole. The sporadic nature of the voice-over narration is distracting too. That said, all the subplots offer potent side tales, the best of which has a very young Denholm Elliott as a sharp-tongued officer who is gradually revealed to have severe marital problems back home. The film's best acting moments are had by Hawkins though as he stares out to sea and tries to convince himself that all the horrors he is enduring are just normal in war. As one can probably surmise from the title, the sea itself is quite an important 'character' here too; there might be a war raging on, however, the unpredictable sea is capable of interrupting and changing the course of events, or as Hawkins himself says "the only villain is the sea". Quite simply put, this is a vastly different sort of war film to the average Hollywood product out there. The film is unexpectedly philosophical (about the nature of war as well as the sea) and there is refreshingly far more time spent on the characters mulling over the horrors of war than just experiencing them.

Simply the absolute best film about men in ships at war

[sonarman65 · 10/10 · 5 December 2006]

The Cruel Sea (1953) Simply the absolute best film made about men in ships at war., 30 November 2006

(This comment was deleted by you) Having served as a sonar operator in a Cannon class WW2 Destroyer Escort, I will tell you that no movie ever produced comes closer to hitting the bulls eye in the attempt to reproduce the experience of stalking and attempting to destroy a submarine in the cold yet boiling waters of the North Atlantic in a 200 foot long vessel using first generation underwater detection gear(ASDIC) This film could only have been shot in black and white to truly capture the cold, bleak, wet and miserable conditions associated with this difficult job, where just about all concerned would "rather have been somewhere else". Even the musical score evokes a forlorn mood throughout. This is far more an "anti war" film than it is a "war movie". Three scenes define this tale. 1. The Captain's terrible decision to sacrifice innocent lives to destroy an enemy submarine. 2. The rescuing of oil covered half drowned enemy sailors with the obvious indication that they are just men.....like us. This is briefly underscored by the tenderness and care with which they are treated by their British counterparts. And finally 3. One of the finest closing scenes in films. The war is over and the Captain is giving the last perfunctory mooring orders, his First Officer, and by now lifelong friend, by his side. A few brief wistful words exchanged between them, the Captain leaves the bridge, the First Officer lingers a moment to adjust the Pelorus and will also turn to leave for the last time. Camera pans to long shot of ship at anchor on smooth water...alone, against a brooding gray sky, the shrill fading whistle of the Bosun's pipe is heard, (no music) The End. Beautifully understated and unforgettable. I remember thinking that war brings out both the best and the worst in man and even though those who lived it "would rather have been somewhere else", for most, it will remain the high point of their lives. "The Cruel Sea" brilliantly underscores this paradox.

Balances patriotic fervour and the horrors of war well, but suffers from weak characterisation

[dr_clarke_2 · 6/10 · 7 March 2021]

Charles Frend's 1953 film The Cruel Sea is based on a screenplay by Eric Ambler, which in turn is an adaptation of Nicholas Monsarrat's novel about the Battle of the Atlantic. Often cited as one of the best British war films (and rumoured to be much-loved by the Royal Navy), it follows the crew of a convoy escort ship during World War II and is notable for its depictions of the harsh reality of naval warfare; in spite of that however, it hasn't aged terribly well. The Cruel Sea opens with a voice-over that informs the audience that "The men are the heroes, the ships are the heroines. The only villain is the sea, the cruel sea", thus setting the tone for what is to follow. The story follows Jack Hawkins' Lieutenant Commander George Ericson as he is recalled to the navy to captain the HMS Compass Rose, otherwise crewed by newly-commissioned volunteers with no maritime experience. As Ericson's ship sets out on its tour of duty, the plot follows the banter between the crewmembers, before giving way to nail-biting terror of being engaged in action. There's a harrowing scene in which Ericson has to order the use of depth charges to destroy a U-boat, despite knowing that it will kill some British seamen who are floating in the water after the destruction of their ship, and later the Compass Rose is torpedo, killing most of the crew and leaving the dwindling number of survivors adrift in lifeboats, tipping the corpses of the newly dead overboard in order to increase their own chances. The finale of the film is a fifteen minute sequence of an increasingly obsessive Ericson commanding a new ship, the HMS Saltash Castle, as it hunts a U-boat in the Arctic Circle. When the U-boat is eventually damaged and the crew surrenders, Ericson notes to Lockhart that this is the first time they've actually seen the enemy in the flesh. The pair reflects that in five years they have only destroyed two U-boats and note that it feels like more, and it is to Frend's credit that the audience can entirely empathise with this. Faced with the challenge of directing a film set largely at sea, Frend does an impressive job; filmed partly on location on real (albeit decommissioned) ships and at Plymouth Naval Dockyard, it certainly looks authentic, and the studio filming meshes well with the location filming, thanks to impressive sets and filming in water tanks. The use of stock footage is effective and occasionally gives the film the feel of a docu-drama, although the model work has really not aged well. The scenes of the Compass Rose being torpedoed and sinking with most of the crew on board are extremely well shot, capturing the claustrophobic horror of the situation. The acting is generally excellent, with Hawkins giving a convincing lead performance and proving especially impressive after he's had to sacrifice the swimming seamen and a drunk, remorseful Ericson tells Lockhart how guilty he feels. After the sinking of the Compass Rose, he also convincingly conveys the trauma that Ericson suffers as a result of losing so many of the men under his command. Donald Sinden co-stars as Lockhart and is also very good, and there are strong supporting performances from the likes of Denholm Elliott and Stanley Baker. The problem with The Cruel Sea is that when Ericson and his crew aren't engaged in action, the film does rather drag. The main issue is that the characterisation is rather weak; although the cast pulls it off, everyone except Ericson and to a lesser extent Lockhart is pretty one-dimensional. Baker's obnoxious, cowardly Lieutenant Bennett is used for comic relief, but since there is little room for comedy in most of the film, he disappears very early on. Everyone else is represented by a single defining characteristic; after the film ends, they are nearly all utterly forgettable. It would be unfair to judge The Cruel Sea too harshly: for its time, it is a technically impressive production, and it achieves the feat of juggling both the horrors of war and a huge streak of patriotic fervour, finding balance between them. Nevertheless, it does suffer from an uneven pace and might have aged better if it had lost about thirty minutes of padding.

Even war must bow to the primal force of the Cruel Sea

[Asgardian · 10/10 · 15 May 2002]

As a study of men thrown into unaccustomed roles, in a time of severe stress, The Cruel Sea has few peers. You live the lives with these men, you share their emotions, their fears, even their losses. The time of absolute despair still gives glimpses of the inner strength some men possess, and others lack, unwilling to be brave enough to face a future, in which they no longer see a role for themselves. This is a movie worthy of many screenings, and enjoyed for what it is, a movie that will challenge the viewer to not judge the characters, but to accept the times, circumstances, and locations were all extreme.

The Cruel Sea is one of my favourite films

Captain Courageous and Crew

[Lejink · 7/10 · 21 July 2019]

My old dad regularly gives me pointers on films to seek out and this was his most recent recommendation. I must say for the record he's never given me a bad tip yet and with this dramatisation of Nicholas Monserrat's best selling novel, I have to tip my hat to him again.

Covering the exploits of the crew of HMS Compass Point, a convoy escort boat seeking to protect British freighters in the North Atlantic from the threat of German U-Boats, while the film certainly demonstrates in spades the famed, if often satirised British stiff upper lip against adversity, it doesn't otherwise shy away from a gritty, near documentary realism either.

The main character is experienced captain Jack Hawkins in the role that elevated him to major stardom. To him falls the task of whipping his inexperienced crew into shape and later on take the hard decisions, including the pivotal one where he sacrifices the lives of British sailors awaiting rescue in the sea to drop depth charges on a killer sub he believes is beneath them, but which in fact gets away. In fact in five years of operations, the Compass Rose only takes out two enemy subs which puts into some sort of context the monotony and drudgery coupled with dread and anxiety the shipmates must have experienced all that time.

There are numerous back stories involving the supporting cast, with a smattering of romance for a couple of the men balanced out by death and infidelity and others demonstrating the expected characteristics of camaraderie, courage and sacrifice. I would however have liked to have seen more of Stanley Baker's jumped-up first lieutenant who unfortunately disappears after the first quarter of the movie.

As some critic somewhere has adroitly pointed out, the numerous war movies made by British studios in the post war period perhaps equate to Hollywood's predilection for releasing westerns, in effect demonstrating different personifications of masculinity on both sides of the Atlantic. Yes there are moments which slightly overdo the British compunction for stoicism, such as when a C.O. "comforts" one of his female subordinates, when she tells him her boyfriend was on a stricken ship, with a brisk "Bad luck", but even that is counterbalanced by Hawkins tearful remembrance of his crucial decision which cost the lives of his own helpless countrymen.

Old-fashioned as it may often seem to today's viewer, this was still an admirable and enjoyable example of British war movie-making, efficiently directed and well-acted by all.

Brilliant book - film is poor

[anthony-burton4 · 5/10 · 2 February 2020]

The novel on which the movie is based is a very intense account of WWII in the Atlantic from the perspective of an escort vessel. These ships, frequently merchant ships with a gun or two, depth charge racks and sonar retrofitted in a hurry and then sent to sea with barely trained crews. Reliant on convoys from the US for food, fuel and ammunition, the threat from German U Boats nearly cost Britain the war. Life at sea was savage, with danger lurking constantly not just below the surface, but also from the Luftwaffe and occasionally a German pocket battleship. Odds of surviving were low.

The movie attempts to bring much of this to the big screen, but it is severely hampered by the limitations of what it could actually show an audience of the 50's. It's difficult to paint the grimness of it all when every would-be distressing scene is hidden, and showing the horror through the reaction of the actors is beyond the skills of this cast - perhaps any cast of its day would have struggled. You see ships blow up in the distance - just small flashes really and nobody really reacts. For that to work, you'd need to capture the horror of the event at some point and contrast that with the necessary matter-of-fact response from those so familiar with the losses that they have lost the emotional capacity to react to them. As it is, the movie just feels flat.

Ealing studios excel at capturing the everyday feel of life in many of their movies, but this action film is perhaps beyond them. Scenes such as the sea-trials/training for the newly converted escort, or the PIIIIING lecture were very reminiscent of one of their comedies, albeit with less humour - but this movie required a different approach.

Perhaps at best it can be described as a kind of rudimentary documentary to the Battle of the Atlantic for those unfamiliar with it. It can also act as a memorial - for that reason I feel I am being a harsh judge here, but I am weighing it as a standalone movie, and not weighting my vote with the fact that this stood out for a long time as one of the very few movies to attempt to portray the horror of war.

Superb unsentimental rendering of North Atlantic Action in W.w.II

[trpdean · 20 June 2002]

I first read this book when I was 14 (and had my father take it back from me when I had to ask "what's 'urinate' mean, dad?"). Monserrat is a master at the depiction of men at war - from his extraordinary technical knowledge to his ability to convey the fatigue, the cross feelings living in close quarters, the bitterness, the moments of triumph or relief.

This film does Monserrat justice. This movie is the opposite of the "boys' own adventure" sorts of movies. There are no striking heroics - just the very real feeling of people performing onerous often dangerous duties as well as they're able - which is heroic itself. The movie does not skimp on the danger either - the shocking losses of ships in convoys that the corvette "protects", the extreme difficulty of finding and sinking U-boats, almost gives one the feeling, "what's the point of convoys?" (Imagine all surgeons operating with an average 3% survival rate - well, 3% recovery is better than none - but imagine the wear on the surgeons).

The film is gritty, and just has the feel of the 1940s in its bones. The sounds, the movement, the look of cities and harbors, the clothes - it's as if one's uncles' tales have all come to life.

Jack Hawkins and Donald Sinden are wonderful - almost always (and necessarily in wartime) stiff upper lip. The movie's moral dramas (bearing upon decisions the captain must make) are wonderfully conceived and executed.

This is truly a superb movie - a great credit to all who worked on it - a memorial to many. It's a completely different - and superior - genre to such movies as Pearl Harbor. I even prefer it to its natural rival, In Which We Serve - good though the latter is.

Its beauty is in its ordinariness.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 25 January 2011]

The best thing about this WWII naval picture is that it is so ordinary. What I mean by this is that there is no bigger-than-life Hollywood style hero who is invincible, but a collection of normal men showing great heroism collectively--sort of a tribute to the unsung heroes of the war. It's set aboard a convoy escort ship's captain and crew--through their tense moments, trials, successes and failures. In other words, its a WHOLE portrait of the war as seen through these sailors' eyes--the good, the bad and the mundane.

The second best thing is the lovely look and feel--with great acting and direction. Jack Hawkins was, as always, wonderful but all the actors playing the crew did so well--and it's a tribute to the production and direction--this didn't just happen by chance.

In many ways, this film plays a lot like the great British film "In Which We Serve"--though unlike "In Which", "The Cruel Sea" was made after the war. Both films together would make a wonderful night of movie viewing. Solid and exceptional.

A truly great film

[grahamsj3 · 9/10 · 2 October 2000]

I read Nicholas Monserrat's book several years ago and thought it was one of the best war books ever written. I didn't realize until just recently that there had been a film adapted from this great book. I bought the film without having seen it first and I was not disappointed with my purchase. The performances of the entire cast make this one of the best WW2 films ever. Filmed in black and white, the film conveys the dark mood of the Battle of the Atlantic. I felt as if I were aboard HMS Compass Rose as she fought the UBoats and the cruel sea. The fact that Capt. Ericson and his crew ultimately get only 2 UBoats after 5 years of war is realistic (instead of having them win the war singlehandedly). The crew has trouble ashore as all crews will and there was sufficient character development to understand the men and their problems. A couple of those problems were left out of the film, but there wasn't time for them. An altogether thoroughly enjoyable film. I highly recommend it to anyone.

The Cruel Sea

[jboothmillard · 6/10 · 5 February 2009]

I had certainly heard of this war film, and the title gave me an idea of where all the film would be set, so I guess I thought I'd try it, produced by Leslie Norman (Barry's father). Set in World War II, Cmdr. Ericson (The Bridge on the River Kwai's BAFTA nominated Jack Hawkins) is assigned to join the HMS Compass Rose with inexperienced and just out of training officers. The winter makes the sea very miserable, and then men harden themselves rescuing U-Boat survivors, oh, and there are one or two battles between them and the enemy. Also starring Donald Sinden as Lockhart, John Stratton as Ferraby, young Indiana Jones's Denholm Elliott as Morell, Zulu's Stanley Baker as Bennett, John Warner as Baker, Bruce Seton as Tallow, Liam Redmond as Watts, Virginia McKenna as Julie Hallam, Glyn Houston as Phillips and Alec McCowen as Tonbridge. I will admit I didn't pay full attention to everything going on, but what I did see, i.e. the performances and war moments, were worth watching. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay, and it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best British Film and Best Film from any Source. It was number 41 on The 100 Greatest War Films. Good!

War at Sea, Well Above Average

[rmax304823 · 8/10 · 2 November 2007]

It's hard to understand what it is that turns some seamen into superior writers. Of course they have a lot of yarns to tell, but where does the skill in telling them come from? Nicholas Monserrat, on whose best-selling book this movie is based, never wrote a ground-breaking novel but no one is better at conveying the details of life at sea, at the maintenance and manipulation of ships.

This film matches Monserrat's novel in its realistic portrayal of duty on a British corvette. Corvettes were smaller than destroyers, and slower and carried less armament, and they were uncomfortable to boot. They were designed to do only one thing: find and destroy German U-boats. The war against submarines didn't go well for the Allies until about May of 1943, when new technology turned patrols by U-boats into something resembling suicide missions.

The characters we meet are nicely done. Most of them are jolly good chaps. Stanley Baker appears briefly as a stern but inefficient First Lieutenant who is induced to leave in a comic scene. There is, in fact, quite a lot of humor in the dialog. And there is of course drama, usually understated. The scenes of bloodshed are handled delicately. Some of the events were, or have becomes, clichés by now. The ship must stop for silent repairs in submarine-infested waters and somebody drops a monkey wrench -- or, pardon me, an adjustable spanner. A handful of sailors alone in a rubber life raft must sing an absurd song and clap to keep warm and vital. Some of the wives on the beach are not worthy of their husbands. Others, who might be, are liable to be casualties of German bombs.

The movie isn't overscored. During energetic combat scenes, when we might expect to be overwhelmed by some kind of march, where Muir Mathesson or Dmitri Tiomkin might be going berserk, there is no music at all, so we can listen to the clanks as the depth charges are rolled off the stern. The newsreel footage that is integrated into the movie is a little obvious but hardly poses a major problem. Nice sound work. In heavy weather, when the Compass Rose pitches into a swell, in addition to the generic whistling wind we hear the percussive slam of iron against sea water. A surprising amount of drinking goes on aboard the Compass Rose. There is a pint of beer with lunch and wine with dinner. There are cocktail parties attended by admirals. If somebody brings a cup of hot tea to the shivering lookout, there may be a tot of rum in it. And sometimes the officers just sit around the wardroom and get plastered. Now there is a civilized habit for you. The Brits had it just about right but, alas, abandoned the program and went on the wagon a generation or so ago.

The Anchor Bay DVD that I watched has a crisp transfer and is easy on the eyes. It's not to be missed by anyone with an interest in World War II as seen from the deck of an ordinary British warship, one of little consequence in itself. In five years of sailing the crew sink only two U-boats and lose a ship of their own. Just a small ship and its crew, trying to do their jobs and stay alive in the process.

Still OK after all these years

[tord-1 · 7/10 · 16 June 2004]

Like many old films this film suffers when it comes special effects, even if some live sequences of u-boats sinking ships is cleverly used, the overall impression of the special effects is a little pathetic, but not extremely so.

The acting is more than OK, the story following Nicolas Monsarrat's book, with the same name, quite well, too.

A very young Denholm Elliot impressed me a lot, as did Jack Hawkins as Ericson, the captain of the ship and Donald Sinden, who was new to me, as the First Officer.

So, while not a masterpiece, it had aged well!

one of the best movies about war at sea

[clapham · 10/10 · 3 January 2002]

Although I've never experienced war at sea or anywhere else for that matter, this I believe is probably nearer the truth than 95% of those other movies out there. There isn't a lot of action in the movie, which may sound like a criticism, but isn't! The movie portrays life aboard ship that almost seems mundane and boring, but this heightens the action sequences to a level of excitement rare in a war movie. It seems very real. I suspect that there are many ex-servicemen and women who would recognise the months of tedium punctuated by those few hours of horrific warfare. The movie succeeds on many levels. Great location footage, with a documentary feel, (although we have to forgive the occasional exploding plastic model ships) Jack Hawkins does some great acting as Captain Ericson, almost bringing tears to my eyes after an incident depth-charging a supposed submarine. Somehow, the movie just feels right, from the start, to one of the best endings I've ever seen on film. A great companion movie to 'Das Boot'

Believable

[dierregi · 7/10 · 18 April 2022]

Another good WWII British movie that follows the life of a bunch of sailors and officials embarked on the Compass Rose, a small escort for convoys.

The men are not "heroic" in an excessive, unbelievable way, but try to do their best in difficult conditions. The captain is the only experienced officer and his second in command will have to learn the trade the hard way.

Personal stories are explored with a light, realistic touch, showing how cruel and senseless the war can be wiping away indiscriminately people on the brink of a marriage and others living through major marital crisis.

Sailors and civilians die, difficult decisions must be taken and one can survive the horrors only thinking it is one's duty to do their best for the collective effort.

Possibly the finest movie ever made about ships and seamen:

[robertguttman · 10/10 · 8 March 2015]

It's no easy task to translate a 400-page novel into a two-hour movie. It is inevitable that there are going to be things glossed over or left out. That being said, however, "The Cruel Sea" is probably one of the greatest movies about WW-II ever produced, as well as possibly the finest best movie ever made about ships and seamen.

Essentially the film follows the events surrounding two naval officers through the course of the Battle of the Atlantic. One is an experienced Merchant Marine officer (Jack Hawkins) who has been called up for Navy duty when his reserve commission is activated at the beginning of World War II. The other is a young "90-Day-Wonder" reserve officer (Donald Sinden), who finds himself forced to mature as he copes with sea- duty and combat. Neither is quite the same man at the end of the film that he started out as at the beginning. Although this film made Jack Hawkins a major star, Sinden gives a particularly good performance as we see him subtly growing up over the course of the film.

The story itself is one of day-to-day toil, interspersed with episodes of sudden terror, which is probably pretty much how it really was. Above all it is the realism that comes through in this film. Nothing is glamorized and nothing is over-dramatized. In fact, the film makers did such an effective job that it is almost as though one were watching a documentary, rather than a movie based upon a novel.

"The heroines are the ships", says Lt. Cmdr. Ericson at the beginning of the film, and that is certainly true here. No CGI special effects were employed, nor was this movie filmed on a back-lot set. The viewers are seeing the real thing. HMS Coreopsis (Compass Rose) was commissioned in 1940 and, while she never did sink a U-boat, she really did escort convoys and rescue large numbers of shipwrecked seamen, exactly as depicted in film. In 1943 she was transferred to the Greek Navy. One of the last original Flower-class Corvettes still in existence at that time, Coreopsis was made available to the filmmakers only because the Greeks returned her to Britain in 1952 for scrapping. Filming "The Cruel Sea" was literally the last thing she ever did before going to the ship-breakers. HMS Portchester Castle (Saltash Castle) was commissioned in 1943, and she really did sink two U- boats.

Perusing the reviews written about this film on this site, it is interesting to note that, among those who have actually served in the Navy, or worked at sea as seamen, this film rates at the very top. Under the circumstances, one can't get a higher recommendation that than.

Enjoyable Black'n'White War Movie

[Tapiorius · 7/10 · 2 September 2023]

Ahoy, movie lovers! Set sail on a cinematic adventure as we dive into the thrilling waters of "The Cruel Sea" from 1953, a classic war drama that will leave you on the edge of your seat. With a solid 7/10 rating, this film is a true gem of its era, and here's why you should give it a watch.

First and foremost, "The Cruel Sea" takes you back to the tumultuous days of World War II, offering a gripping and realistic portrayal of life on the high seas. The film follows the crew of the HMS Compass Rose, a British corvette tasked with escorting merchant ships through treacherous waters infested with German U-boats. The tension is palpable from the get-go, as the crew faces constant danger and the ever-present threat of lurking submarines.

Jack Hawkins delivers a stellar performance as Captain Ericson, a seasoned and stoic leader determined to protect his crew and the precious cargo they escort. His unwavering commitment to duty and the moral dilemmas he faces in the face of war make for a compelling character study that keeps you engaged throughout the film.

What truly sets "The Cruel Sea" apart is its authentic portrayal of the hardships faced by sailors during wartime. From the cramped quarters and endless sea battles to the constant threat of torpedoes, the film doesn't shy away from depicting the harsh realities of life at sea. The special effects may feel a bit dated by today's standards, but they were groundbreaking for their time and add to the film's overall charm.

As the crew members bond and forge deep friendships, you'll find yourself becoming emotionally invested in their fates. The camaraderie among the sailors adds heart and soul to the story, making the eventual losses all the more poignant.

The film's pacing is steady, building tension slowly but surely until it culminates in a nail-biting climax that will leave you breathless. Director Charles Frend masterfully crafts suspenseful sequences that will have you gripping the arms of your chair, especially during the intense cat-and-mouse chases with U-boats.

While "The Cruel Sea" may not boast the flashy CGI or explosions of modern blockbusters, its strength lies in its compelling characters and the raw, unvarnished depiction of life during wartime. This classic film reminds us that heroism isn't always about grand gestures but can be found in the everyday sacrifices made by ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

So, if you're looking for a classic war drama with gripping storytelling, strong performances, and a dose of historical realism, set sail with "The Cruel Sea." It's a cinematic voyage well worth taking, and I guarantee you'll be talking about it long after the credits roll. Anchors aweigh, movie buffs!

More of the same.

[adamjohns-42575 · 3/10 · 14 February 2022]

The Cruel Sea (1953)-

The film, as a whole, felt a little bit matter of fact and lacking in excitement. Even the exciting bits seemed to be just things that happened without much drama or passion.

It's interesting that we only briefly saw the enemy in any physical way, which seemed odd for a war film and I wondered if that created a lack of danger that softened the film.

There's also a lot of extraneous detail and some individual storylines that didn't necessarily need to be included or maybe could have only been implied. Morell's girlfriend for one thing. It only needed a suggestion that dating a model was a trying experience for him.

It's quite a slow film, without any specific action, the story wasn't about sinking the Bismarck or rescuing soldiers from Dunkirk so there was no specific end to their journey as such, but it's about the days and hours spent searching for submarines that were mostly wasted.

It's a hard subject matter to build a story around, but it could probably have made a good back story for a romance. One that's more in depth, not like Lockhart's storyline, which got a bit lost amongst everything else.

Maybe it could be remade as a male on male romance, which would certainly make sense, as the Officers in this one, actually, all seemed a bit camp by todays standards. It's hard to imagine them going home to their wives and not pining for Roger the Cabin Boy and Seaman Staines.

And some of them are very hammy, as were a few of the crew, but then in balance you also had Jack Hawkins, who gave a great performance as the Captain and Denholm Elliott, who just seemed to be so effortless and immediately showed the rest up in the first moment that he appeared on screen.

I felt that Stanley Baker was trying just a bit too hard in comparison. The rest all came across well, but were nothing worth writing about.

It was very similar to In 'Which We Serve' (1942) and it would be easy to confuse the two, because they are so alike. I'm not sure that either one would warrant a return visit to watch again as there are definitely better war films out there that hit my buttons more, but actually, this one wasn't a bad film at all, not really my thing perhaps, but it's fairly well made, if a tad cluttered.

I can see that it could appeal to an older generation and certainly anyone that may have experienced the war.

292.26/1000.