In Which We Serve (1942) 7.3
This "story of a ship," the British destroyer HMS Torrin, is told in flash backs by survivors as they cling to a life raft. Writer:Noel Coward (by) |
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In Which We Serve (1942) 7.3
This "story of a ship," the British destroyer HMS Torrin, is told in flash backs by survivors as they cling to a life raft. Writer:Noel Coward (by) |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Noel Coward | ... |
Captain E. V. Kinross R.N. /
Captain 'D'
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Derek Elphinstone | ... |
No. 1
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| Michael Wilding | ... |
Flags
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Robert Sansom | ... |
Guns
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Philip Friend | ... |
Torps
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Chimmo Branson | ... |
Midshipman
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Ballard Berkeley | ... |
Engineer Commander
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Hubert Gregg | ... |
Pilot
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| James Donald | ... |
Doc
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Michael Whittaker | ... |
Sub
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Kenneth Carten | ... |
Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.
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John Varley | ... |
Secco
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| Bernard Miles | ... |
Chief Petty Officer Hardy /
Walter Hardy
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Caven Watson | ... |
Brodie
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| John Mills | ... |
Ordinary Seaman 'Shorty' Blake
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This is the story of a British Naval ship, HMS Torrin, from its construction to its sinking in the Mediterranean during action in World War II. The ship's first and only commanding officer is the experienced Captain E.V. Kinross who trains his men not only to be loyal to him but to the country and most importantly, to themselves. They face challenges at sea and also at home. They lose some of their shipmates in action and some of their loved ones in the devastation that is the blitz. Throughout it all, the men of the Torrin serve valiantly and heroically. Written by garykmcd
This is a really first-rate film, much more convincing than the fairly crude WWII propaganda films the US studios were turning out around the same time. The good guys and the bad guys are just as clearly delineated, but in some ways - perhaps the consistent understatement of emotions and the sometimes over-the-top stiff upper lips displayed by the characters - the stakes, and the dangers, seem clearer. There are no John Waynes or Errol Flynns on this ship.
The acting is extremely good, although Noel Coward seems a little stiff and uncomfortable in his leading role. John Mills and Bernard Miles are outstanding, and Celia Johnson (in her first film role) is simply extraordinary. The final scene, where Coward as the captain of the lost ship shakes hands with the survivors, is unexpectedly moving.