The World War II adventures of a British convoy escort ship and its officers.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jack Hawkins | ... | Ericson | |
| Donald Sinden | ... | Lockhart | |
| John Stratton | ... | Ferraby | |
| Denholm Elliott | ... | Morell | |
 |
John Warner | ... | Baker |
| Stanley Baker | ... | Bennett | |
| Bruce Seton | ... | Tallow | |
| Liam Redmond | ... | Watts | |
| Virginia McKenna | ... | Julie Hallam | |
| Moira Lister | ... | Elaine Morell | |
| June Thorburn | ... | Doris Ferraby | |
| Megs Jenkins | ... | Tallow's Sister | |
| Meredith Edwards | ... | Yeoman Wells | |
| Glyn Houston | ... | Phillips | |
| Alec McCowen | ... | Tonbridge | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
At the start of World War II, Cmdr. Ericson is assigned to convoy escort HMS Compass Rose with inexperienced officers and men just out of training. The winter seas make life miserable enough, but the men must also harden themselves to rescuing survivors of U-Boat attacks, while seldom able to strike back. Traumatic events afloat and ashore create a warm bond between the skipper and his first officer. Atmospheric sea footage. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
Surging to Life on the Screen! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
19 August 1953 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Det grymma havet See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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or "The Spreading Chestnut Tree" (uncredited)
Author unknown, perhaps traditional song
Sung by the sailors in the raft to keep awake
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Donald Sinden had lessons to make him talk in a higher-pitched manner, as the producers felt his real voice was too deep for the young character he played. See more »Goofs
When the Compass Rose is disabled and preparing for the night while the repairs are underway, the captain orders the utmost silence be kept to avoid detection by an enemy sub. On the other hand, the ASDIC has been merrily pinging away all the time for hours on the stationary ship, which submerged subs can of course hear across great distances. See more »Connections
Featured in Century of Cinema: A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1995) See more »Soundtracks
The Chestnut Treeor "The Spreading Chestnut Tree" (uncredited)
Author unknown, perhaps traditional song
Sung by the sailors in the raft to keep awake
See more »
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Fine English war movie of life aboard a convoy escort ship during WWII. It's original B&W format only adds to the overall feel of the movie. Great no-nonsense performances from the cast. The movie is notable in that it is almost free of propaganda and instead concentrates on showing the crews life on board in a realistic way.Jack Hawkins turns in a fine performance.