An attractively photographed, stylishly produced costume drama with director Forde taking full advantage of his magnificent sets and period trappings. The playing is most agreeable, and though the film was obviously produced to reinforce a wartime message of Anglo-American co- operation, the propaganda is not overly intrusive. Unfortunately, the U.S. version, namely "Sons of the Sea", is 16 minutes shorter than the U.K. release. In this cut-down offering, Griffith Jones simply disappears from the movie, whereas in the U.K. version he dies in the fog to save his ship. In the original version, there was also more of the race climax. In the American version, the sailing ship is simply left behind at the home port and is not seen from again. It's a shame all this action was eliminated (presumably to give the movie an undiluted happy ending) whereas the original action-filled climax is not only what the movie needs but what it has been relentlessly leading up to, namely the final confrontation between sail and steam.
Review of Atlantic Ferry
