As World War II begins, German freighter Captain Karl Ehrlich tries to get his ship back to Germany through a gauntlet of Allied warships.
Turn back the clock and hit the beach with some of our favorite classic Hollywood stars.
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Title: The Sea Chase (1955)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Wayne | ... | Capt. Karl Ehrlich | |
| Lana Turner | ... | Elsa Keller | |
| David Farrar | ... | Cmdr. Jeff Napier | |
| Lyle Bettger | ... | Chief Officer Kirchner | |
| Tab Hunter | ... | Cadet Wesser | |
| James Arness | ... | Schlieter | |
| Richard Davalos | ... | Cadet Walter Stemme (as Dick Davalos) | |
| John Qualen | ... | Chief Engineer Schmitt | |
| Paul Fix | ... | Max Heinz | |
| Lowell Gilmore | ... | Capt. Evans | |
 |
Luis Van Rooten | ... | Matz |
| Alan Hale Jr. | ... | Wentz (as Alan Hale) | |
| Wilton Graff | ... | Consul General Hepke | |
| Peter Whitney | ... | Bachman | |
| Claude Akins | ... | Winkler (as Claude Akin) | |
Learn more
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Storyline
As the Second World War breaks out, German freighter captain Karl Ehrlich is about to leave Sydney, Australia with his vessel, the Ergenstrasse. Ehrlich, an anti-Nazi but proud German, hopes to outrun or out-maneuver the British warship pursuing him. Aboard his vessel is Elsa Keller, a woman Ehrlich has been ordered to return to Germany safely along with whatever secrets she carries. When Ehrlich's fiercely Nazi chief officer Kirchner commits an atrocity, the British pursuit becomes deadly. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Plot Keywords:
sea battle | sea chase | bare chested male | homosexual subtext | warship |Taglines:
JOHN WAYNE - a skipper sworn never to be taken! LANA TURNER - the fuse of his floating time-bomb! See more »Parents Guide:
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Counsel General Hepke: The Rockhampton is due in Valparaiso tomorrow. There's not a chance that you can leave.
Capt. Karl Ehrlich: I'll take my chances with the British. They won't waste a warship watching this harbor for long.
Counsel General Hepke: Very well, Captain. If you insist. Seamanship is your forte. But I beg to remind you, propaganda's mine. If I assist you, you must help me.
Capt. Karl Ehrlich: I won't lie for you.
Counsel General Hepke: Of course not! I wouldn't think of asking you to lie. You haven't had the necessary diplomatic training.
See more »
(uncredited)
Written by Wilhelm Hauff
English Lyrics by John Farrow
Arranged by Ray Heindorf
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Claude Akins is incorrectly listed in the opening credits as "Claude Akin". See more »Goofs
The Ergenstrasse's pistols are Walther P-38s, which had only been adopted for military use the year before. It is unlikely that such weapons would be found on an old tramp steamer. See more »Quotes
Capt. Karl Ehrlich: What do you suggest that I do?Counsel General Hepke: The Rockhampton is due in Valparaiso tomorrow. There's not a chance that you can leave.
Capt. Karl Ehrlich: I'll take my chances with the British. They won't waste a warship watching this harbor for long.
Counsel General Hepke: Very well, Captain. If you insist. Seamanship is your forte. But I beg to remind you, propaganda's mine. If I assist you, you must help me.
Capt. Karl Ehrlich: I won't lie for you.
Counsel General Hepke: Of course not! I wouldn't think of asking you to lie. You haven't had the necessary diplomatic training.
See more »
Soundtracks
Steh'ich in finstrer Mitternacht(uncredited)
Written by Wilhelm Hauff
English Lyrics by John Farrow
Arranged by Ray Heindorf
See more »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
4 June 1955 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Sea Chase See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (35 mm optical prints) (RCA Sound Recording)| 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) (RCA Sound Recording)Color:
Color (WarnerColor)Aspect Ratio:
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A adventure film on the high seas from 1955 starring John Wayne & Lana Turner. WWII is about to begin & Wayne, a German national freighter captain, vows to get he & his crew back home while a British destroyer dogs him at his heels. Being probably one of the strangest roles Wayne would undertake (he also infamously played a Mongolian in another howler) as a German sympathizer (his character's name & the Nazi regime are never mentioned in the same breath) speeding home (a reason is never given) while avoiding any authorities makes this an entertaining yet puzzling pursuit film. He rules his crew w/an iron hand (mutiny is insinuated but The Duke being the captain, that reality never comes to pass) & does everything within his power to keep his ship going (when the coal runs out, the wood from the life boats soon become fodder for the engine) no matter the cost. Shot well & having a sizeable amount of urgency, this movie's stakes become tantamount even though the rationale behind it is murky at best. Co-starring Tab Hunter, Claude Akins, James Arness (from TV's Gunsmoke), Alan Hale & John Qualen (he co-starred a few times w/Wayne) as members of his intrepid crew.