In Which We Serve (1942)

This "story of a ship," the British destroyer HMS Torrin, is told in flash backs by survivors as they cling to a life raft.

Directors:

Noel Coward, David Lean

Writer:

Noel Coward (by)

Stars:

Noel Coward, Derek Elphinstone, Michael Wilding

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Noel Coward	...	Captain E. V. Kinross R.N. / Captain 'D'
Derek Elphinstone	...	No. 1
Michael Wilding	...	Flags
Robert Sansom	...	Guns
Philip Friend	...	Torps
Chimmo Branson	...	Midshipman
Ballard Berkeley	...	Engineer Commander
Hubert Gregg	...	Pilot
James Donald	...	Doc
Michael Whittaker	...	Sub
Kenneth Carten	...	Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.
John Varley	...	Secco
Bernard Miles	...	Chief Petty Officer Hardy / Walter Hardy
Caven Watson	...	Brodie
John Mills	...	Ordinary Seaman 'Shorty' Blake

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

captain | officer | destroyer | bomber | crew | 

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Taglines:

The Greatest Motion Picture Of Our Time! [USA Theatrical]

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ceux qui servent en mer

Filming Locations:

D&P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£240,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Two Cities Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Celia Johnson's screen debut.

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Goofs

During the scene in which two Army officers returning from Dunkirk join Kinross on the bridge of his ship, the way the cigarette smoke rises betrays the fact this scene was shot indoors.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Voice: [voiceover] This is the story of a ship...
[long sequence of ship-building and launch]

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Connections

Referenced in Private's Progress (1956)

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Soundtracks

"Underneath the Arches"
(uncredited)
Composed by Bud Flanagan and Reg Connelly

User Reviews

The Benefits of a Stiff Upper Lip

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.