San Demetrio London (1943)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Charles Frend

Writers:

Robert Hamer (screenplay) &
Charles Frend (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 February 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

A great adventure story of the sea

Plot:

The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and...

Plot Keywords:

British Navy | WWII | Sea Captain | Ealing | Merchant Navy

Cast

Arthur Young	...	Captain George Waite - M.V. San Demetrio
Walter Fitzgerald	...	Chief Engineer Charles Pollard - M.V. San Demetrio
Ralph Michael	...	2nd. Officer Hawkins - M.V. San Demetrio
Neville Mapp	...	3rd. Engineer Willey - M.V. San Demetrio
Barry Letts	...	Apprentice John Jones - M.V. San Demetrio
Michael Allen	...	Cadet Roy Housden - M.V. San Demetrio
Frederick Piper	...	Boatswain W.E. Fletcher - M.V. San Demetrio
Herbert Cameron	...	Pumpman Davies - M.V. San Demetrio
John Owers	...	Steward - M.V. San Demetrio
Gordon Jackson	...	Messboy John Jamieson - M.V. San Demetrio
Robert Beatty	...	'Yank' Preston - M.V. San Demetrio
Charles Victor	...	Deckhand - M.V. San Demetrio
James McKechnie	...	Deckhand - M.V. San Demetrio
John Coyle	...	Deckhand - M.V. San Demetrio
Duncan McIntyre	...	Deckhand - M.V. San Demetrio (as Duncan MacIntyre)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:PG (tv rating) | UK:U | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Goofs:

Factual errors: The fires on the ship are clearly not burning oil but gas. Otherwise there would be thick black smoke and pouring water on it from buckets would result in an explosive spread (for that same reason one should never try to extinguish burning fat in a frying pan by pouring water on it).

Quotes:

[last lines]
Mr. Justice Langton: It is right and proper, and a part of my duty which I shall gladly discharge, to recognise to the full the courage, devotion and sacrifice of each of these men. I should not like to leave this case without thanking everybody concerned for having given me the best working day of my life, in listening to the very modest recital of some gallant gentlemen concerning a memorable achievement.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Forever Ealing (2002) (TV)

Anything for a cup of tea

The tale of tanker on a return trip to Galviston, Texas. It has a bit of a run in with a "Jerry" boat and the remainder of the film depicts the courage of the crew trying to keep things afloat. As the film was made during World War II the sentiments are entirely predictable/understandable.

Gordon Jackson looks worryingly young and the Britishness of the movie is summed up when the Captain risks blowing up the boat for the sake of giving the crew a hot cup of tea.

Don't expect anything too spectacular but enjoy a feelgood movie 1943 style.