Above Us the Waves (1955)The attack by British submarines on the German battleship "Tirpitz" in a Norwegian fjord during the Second World War. Director:Ralph Thomas |
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Above Us the Waves (1955)The attack by British submarines on the German battleship "Tirpitz" in a Norwegian fjord during the Second World War. Director:Ralph Thomas |
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| 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Mills | ... |
Cmdr. Fraser
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John Gregson | ... |
Lt Alec Duffy
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| Donald Sinden | ... |
Lt Tom Corbett
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| James Robertson Justice | ... |
Adm. Ryder
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Michael Medwin | ... |
Smart
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James Kenney | ... |
Abercrombie
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O.E. Hasse | ... |
Captain of the Tirpitz
(as O. E. Hasse)
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Lee Patterson | ... |
Cox
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William Russell | ... |
Ramsey
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| Theodore Bikel | ... |
German Officer
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Harry Towb | ... |
McCleery
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Cyril Chamberlain | ... |
CPO Chubb
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Tony Wager | ... |
George
(as Anthony Wager)
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Leslie Weston | ... |
Winley
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Lyndon Brook | ... |
Diver Navigator, X2
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In World War II, the greatest threat to the British navy is the German battleship Tirpitz. Being anchored in a Norwegian fjord, it is impossible to attack it with any chance of success. But the navy trains a special commando to attack it, using little submarines to plant underwater explosives under it. Written by Mattias Thuresson
OK so the script is mundane and the atmosphere is rather too pukha to be true, but I have no hesitation in recommending Above Us The Waves to all serious buffs out there. It's rather like a fanciful trip down memory lane into a bygone era that was very real to the actors but only a dream to us. The world in which public school educated Commanders strode up and down wharfs wearing immaculate stiff collars and Gieves and Hawkes tailored uniforms. The world in which a beaten enemy saluted their conquerors with trays of brandy and warm dry blankets. That's the real value of the film; it acts as a glimpse into that half forgotten world of sheer courage and decency that has long been lost in the senseless chase for mammon. When men gave their lives for honour and principal rather than offering their time for glamour and ego.
And the film has its moments of well staged tension to keep us alert. John Gregson and James Kenney give memorable performances when a mine drifts dangerously close to their surfaced sub and they must fend it off with outstretched feet. Don't listen to the detractors on this one
- grab a good cup of strong cocoa and allow your dreams to drift back
in time.