The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and left to the mercy of patrolling U-boats the crew must keep her afloat and out of harms ...
See full summary »
Jack Black IMDbs himself and dishes on The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Plus, we've got an uncensored version!
"The Sinner" star talks us through his arc in the show's just-finished Season 2.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: San Demetrio London (1943)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
More Like This
The Frightened City
(1961)
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
John Lemont
Stars:
Herbert Lom,
Sean Connery,
John Gregson
Run for Your Life
(TV Movie 2014)
Drama
|
Mystery
|
Thriller
Director:
Michael Scott
Stars:
Amy Smart,
Mark Humphrey,
Aislyn Watson
Sea Devils
(1953)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Raoul Walsh
Stars:
Yvonne De Carlo,
Rock Hudson,
Maxwell Reed
Toutes nos envies
(2011)
Drama
Director:
Philippe Lioret
Stars:
Vincent Lindon,
Marie Gillain,
Amandine Dewasmes
A Passage to India
(1984)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
History
Director:
David Lean
Stars:
Judy Davis,
Victor Banerjee,
Peggy Ashcroft
Carry On Jack
(1963)
Adventure
|
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Gerald Thomas
Stars:
Kenneth Williams,
Charles Hawtrey,
Bernard Cribbins
School for Scoundrels
(1960)
Comedy
Directors:
Robert Hamer,
Hal E. Chester, and 1 more credit »
Stars:
Ian Carmichael,
Terry-Thomas,
Alastair Sim
The Flight of the Phoenix
(1965)
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
Robert Aldrich
Stars:
James Stewart,
Richard Attenborough,
Peter Finch
Hell in Korea
(1956)
Drama
|
History
|
War
Director:
Julian Amyes
Stars:
Stephen Boyd,
Ronald Lewis,
George Baker
Pink String and Sealing Wax
(1945)
Drama
|
Thriller
Director:
Robert Hamer
Stars:
Mervyn Johns,
Mary Merrall,
Gordon Jackson
Angèle et Tony
(2010)
Drama
Director:
Alix Delaporte
Stars:
Clotilde Hesme,
Grégory Gadebois,
Evelyne Didi
The Swingin' Maiden
(1963)
Comedy
Director:
Gerald Thomas
Stars:
Michael Craig,
Anne Helm,
Jeff Donnell
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
 |
Arthur Young | ... | Captain George Waite |
| Walter Fitzgerald | ... | Chief Engineer Charles Pollard | |
|
|
Ralph Michael | ... | 2nd. Officer Hawkins |
|
|
Neville Mapp | ... | 3rd. Engineer Willey |
| Barry Letts | ... | Apprentice John Jones | |
|
|
Michael Allen | ... | Cadet Roy Housden |
|
|
Frederick Piper | ... | Boatswain W.E. Fletcher |
|
|
Herbert Cameron | ... | Pumpman Davies |
|
|
John Owers | ... | Steward |
| Gordon Jackson | ... | Messboy John Jamieson | |
| Robert Beatty | ... | 'Yank' Preston | |
|
|
Charles Victor | ... | Deckhand |
|
|
James McKechnie | ... | Deckhand |
|
|
John Coyle | ... | Deckhand |
|
|
Duncan McIntyre | ... | Deckhand (as Duncan MacIntyre) |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (8) »
Storyline
The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and left to the mercy of patrolling U-boats the crew must keep her afloat and out of harms way. Written by Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>
Plot Keywords:
lifeboat | 23rd psalm | tankship | battle of the atlantic | world war two |Taglines:
A great adventure story of the seaCertificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
21 February 1944 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
San Demetrio See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
Edit
Deckhand: I've left me teeth on board.
Deckhand: Never mind - I'll lend you mine when I've finished.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
True story of the crew of the San Demetrio, who reboarded their ship after it was damaged by enemy action in November 1940. San Demetrio was part of Convoy HX-84, which was attacked by the German cruiser Admiral Scheer. See more »Goofs
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). Addendum: the oil on board was aviation fuel, not crude oil. There would have been no other way to put the fires out than to use water. I am not sure the original criticism is valid, particularly so as the Chief Engineer was the technical adviser on the film. See more »Quotes
Deckhand: What's the matter chum? Ain't you 'ungry?Deckhand: I've left me teeth on board.
Deckhand: Never mind - I'll lend you mine when I've finished.
See more »
Crazy Credits
Closing credits: This story is based on fact and most of the characters in the film are portrayed from life with their permission. The remaining characters are fictitious, and in such cases any similarity to any incident, name or individual is coincidental. See more »Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Enjoy a night in with these popular movies available to stream now with Prime Video.
Just amazed this film has never been remade. It's true story, certainly as seen in this low budget British wartime production, seems a perfect fit to get the 21st century, much bigger budget treatment. In the right hands, it could be a terrific cinematic spectacle as the story behind the film has really got it all. Merchant naval convoys and battles, heroism demonstrated not just on the part of the crew of the San Demetrio, but that of other ships too, especially the Jervis Bay, North Atlantic tempests, humour, pathos and in general a wonderfully marine-based, collective survival story.
In the interim, I guess we'll have to be satisfied with this low key instalment featuring a very young Gordon Jackson (as the mess boy would you believe) and regular Welsh mainstay character actor of British 40's and 50's films, Mervyn Johns (father of Glynis), playing the stoic, ill-fated, but delightfully named Greaser Boyle, who demonstrates on more than one occasion, that he was always prepared to take one for his fellow crew mates without complaint.