Tonight's Movie: The Cruel Sea (1953) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE CRUEL SEA (1953), an excellent World War II film, was recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

I decided to review this British production on the strength of the cast and what sounded like an interesting story. I'm happy to say I was not disappointed, and indeed, I found it to be an absolutely top-notch war movie.

Jack Hawkins is superb as Ericson, the commander of the Compass Rose, a convoy escort ship. He's the only man aboard with actual seafaring experience, an angle which called to mind the similar yet much more lighthearted Gary Cooper film YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951).

Over the course of the film's 126 minutes Ericson's "Number 1," Lockhart (Donald Sinden), remains on hand, but other men come and go over time due to illness or death. Denholm Elliott and Stanley Baker are two of the best-known names among the actors playing the ship's crew; others are played by John Stratton, John Warner, Bruce Seton, and Liam Redmond.

The Oscar-nominated screenplay by Eric Ambler, based on a book by Nicholas Monsarrat, is forthright about the enormity of experiences and decisions faced by the crew -- especially Ericson -- yet it also presents the story in a refreshingly non-manipulative fashion.

There's no ominous foreshadowing, for example; events simply...happen...out of the blue, just as they would for anyone going through the experiences. To some extent the film feels like a naval procedural, showing the ins and outs of the hard work, but then every so often the men, and the viewers, are reminded of their work's very weighty consequences.

Although I was previously unfamiliar with THE CRUEL SEA, I've come to understand it's regarded as one of the best British war films, and I can certainly see why. I found it gripping and particularly enjoyed Hawkins, in a charismatic and nuanced performance as the dedicated commander who is both tough and fair. At times Ericson falls sway to emotion, but as the war goes on and he's faced with the constant specter of death, he steels himself against feelings in order to get on with the job.

The rest of the cast is likewise very good, including Virginia McKenna and a brief appearance by Megs Jenkins (GREEN FOR DANGER).

The movie was directed by Charles Frend and filmed in black and white by Gordon Dines.

The Blu-ray print is excellent, looking very sharp, with a strong soundtrack.

Kino Lorber has presented THE CRUEL SEA as a Special Edition release with a cardboard slipcase. Extras consist of the trailer; a gallery of four additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; an interview with costar Donald Sinden, which runs just over half an hour; and a commentary track by Simon Abrams.

This is a fine film which deserves to be much better known, and I very much recommend this release.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

Tweet