DramaHistoryWar

The Cruel Sea

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

Release Date : 1953-02-24

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Ealing StudiosMichael Balcon Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Ericson

Original Name : Jack Hawkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lockhart

Original Name : Donald Sinden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Morell

Original Name : Denholm Elliott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ferraby

Original Name : John Stratton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bennett

Original Name : Stanley Baker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Watts

Original Name : Liam Redmond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Yeoman Wells

Original Name : Meredith Edwards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tallow

Original Name : Bruce Seton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Baker

Original Name : John Warner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Raikes

Original Name : Barry Letts

Gender : Male

Character Name : Polish Captain

Original Name : Gerard Heinz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gracey

Original Name : Fred Griffiths

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phillips

Original Name : Glyn Houston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Julie Hallam

Original Name : Virginia McKenna

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tallow's Sister

Original Name : Megs Jenkins

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doris Ferraby

Original Name : June Thorburn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Elaine Morell

Original Name : Moira Lister

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tonbridge

Original Name : Alec McCowen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wainwright

Original Name : Leo Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : Signalman Rose

Original Name : Dafydd Havard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sellars

Original Name : Laurence Hardy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carslake

Original Name : Sam Kydd

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gray

Original Name : John Singer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Broughton

Original Name : Barry Steele

Gender : Male

Character Name : Norwegian Captain

Original Name : Gerik Schjelderup

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Captain

Original Name : Gaston Richer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Scott Brown

Original Name : Andrew Cruickshank

Gender : Male

Character Name : Allingham

Original Name : Kenn Kennedy

Gender : Male

Character Name : ASDIC Operator

Original Name : Harold Goodwin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Admiral at Party

Original Name : George Curzon

Gender : Male

Character Name : R.N. Lieutenant

Original Name : Anthony Snell

Gender : Male

Character Name : R.N. Captain

Original Name : Ronald Simpson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lieutenant-Commander

Original Name : Don Sharp

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Waiter

Original Name : Herbert C. Walton

Gender : Male

Character Name : A Survivor

Original Name : Jack Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : A.R.P. Warden

Original Name : Russell Waters

Gender : Male

Character Name : A.R.P. Warden

Original Name : Harold Jamieson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Petty Officer Instructor

Original Name : Warwick Ashton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Warden (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Fitzgerald

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sonar Operator (uncredited)

Original Name : Paddy Joyce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Leech

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sailor in Water

Original Name : Jim Brady

Gender : Male

Character Name : Admiral Murray-Forbes (uncredited)

Original Name : Alan Webb

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-08-23

This has to be one of my favourite wartime adventures that really quite powerfully illustrates not only the perils of those sailing the Atlantic during the Second World War but the courage of the ordinary folks drafted in to man these tiny ships at the mercy of the weather and the U-boats. "Ericson" (Jack Hawkins) has been put in command of an convoy escort that's staffed by a rather obnoxious former used-car salesman "Bennett" (Stanley Baker) and two green-around-the-gills sub-lieutenants "Ferraby" (John Stratton) and "Lockhart" (Donald Sinden). Initially, their task is mainly to keep afloat in the turbulent waters but as continental Europe falls to the Nazis, the threat from Grand Admiral Doenitz's wolf-pack system of submarine attacks makes their jobs even more deadly. With their enemy largely unseen and highly manoeuvrable, it's difficult enough to see one let alone attack it, but they've all got a job to do. There's a strong dynamic here between Sinden and Hawkins and the story is peppered with back references to the lives ashore of many of the crew who have families in a homeland that is constantly being bombed. It was made long after the war finished, but it still manages to convey an effective sense of the danger - physical and emotional - faced by these men who left home uncertain as to what might await them on their return. It grittily encapsulates so much of the human story of the war, but there's also a little time for some romance (cue Virginia McKenna) and a little light banter from Liam Redmond, Bruce Seton and the always reliable Megs Jenkins who can't be bothered to fix up the blackout curtains. Moira Lister adds a bit of shallow glamour to the proceedings and by the half way mark we have a pretty comprehensive appraisal of the people's Royal Navy that's well captured by some chilling photography and haunting audio.