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      The Cruel Sea

      Released Aug 19, 1953 2h 6m War List
      100% 5 Reviews Tomatometer 83% 250+ Ratings Audience Score Despite his guilt over a recent harrowing sea battle in which many of his men were lost, Lt. Cmdr. George Ericson (Jack Hawkins) is assigned to helm the new H.M.S. Compass Rose with the help of steadfast seaman Lt. Lockhart (Donald Sinden). When the small vessel is sent to escort convoys of ships fighting German U-boats in the North Atlantic, the mettle of the novice crew is tested by the weather, the turbulent sea and enemy attacks -- one of which nearly destroys the Compass Rose. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

      View All (57) audience reviews
      Forrest L Superb film about the sea battles between the convoys with their escorts against the deadly U-Boat threat. To get this story right, the film makers found the correct type of ship - one of the last left afloat in the world - and brought it up to operational condition as the centerpiece of this story, the fictional Compass Rose. Even more rarely, the filmmakers conducted the firing of the cannons with live ammunition and well-trained Royal Navy gun crews, which added an authenticity to the action almost never seen in any war movie: probably caused their insurers to have grey hair! The story follows the basic outline of Nicolas Monsarrat's superb book, but omits some of the extra characters and overwhelming and unrelenting violence of the book to give a trim, satisfying story that gives great testimony to the sacrifices and heroism of those men who sailed forth in small uncomfortable ships to save their country. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/17/23 Full Review Jan C I'm a big fan of the book. What can I say. I'm a bit disappointed. It's an okay movie, but the book is so much... bigger. This movie captures maybe 15% of it. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member An excellently done British war film focusing on the navy escorts during WWII. The acting is strong enough and in the latter half of the film it gets quite dark and more thoughtful. It was atmospheric and tense too. A fine early war film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member World War 2 historian James Holland said The Cruel Sea the most realistic war movie he had ever seen. A glowing recommendation, and having seen the film, I can see what he means. It's a very stripped down, almost mechanistic film, with little fluff or meandering, focusing instead on the harsh realities of battle, as well as the perils of mother nature's wrath. Jack Hawkins, an actor who pretty much owned the 1950s, plays the role of a stern but not unfeeling Lieutenant Commander in charge of a ship sailing back and forth across the Atlantic. The film's greatest strength is how it doesn't sugar-coat the ugliness of war. Regardless of which side you're on, there will be casualties, and not just from bombs and bullets. The Atlantic Ocean is almost an enemy in itself, swallowing up anyone who's unlucky enough to be on a sinking ship. It also demonstrates the difficult choices that ship commanders are forced to make, and how any decisions ultimately fall on them, as well as the consequences. It doesn't hit as hard as films like Saving Private Ryan or Platoon, but considering it was made in the 50s, there's only so much they would have been allowed to get away with. But for what it is, it's a fascinatingly dark window into the lives of navy men in the heat of battle, and a war film that more people need to see. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Well acted, well directed film which recounts a captains ww2 experience. There is not much of a story as such but its worth watching. There are many better ww2 films from this era though. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member A serious film about a serious deadly subject. The convoys resupplying Britain and the Soviet Union. This film us much better then the Tom Hanks film about the same subject. Greyhound (2020) This is a great film. Good acting and nail-bitting suspense. Not uncommon for these old films. All in all, give it a chance. Just because it's in black and white, people ignore it... Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Cruel Sea

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (5) Critics Reviews
      Bob Thomas Associated Press The character and actions of the seamen are told with a crispness that is a model of editing. Jun 24, 2019 Full Review Edward Porter Sunday Times (UK) The dialogue and the violence may be sanitised, but some of the ordeals faced by the story’s servicemen are scenes of powerful psychological horror. Sep 26, 2022 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin One is grateful nowadays for a film which does not attempt to depict war as anything but a tragic and bloody experience, and it is this quality which gives the production its final power to move. Jan 29, 2018 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Jul 17, 2005 Full Review Mark R. Leeper rec.arts.movies.reviews Rated: 4/5 Nov 18, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Despite his guilt over a recent harrowing sea battle in which many of his men were lost, Lt. Cmdr. George Ericson (Jack Hawkins) is assigned to helm the new H.M.S. Compass Rose with the help of steadfast seaman Lt. Lockhart (Donald Sinden). When the small vessel is sent to escort convoys of ships fighting German U-boats in the North Atlantic, the mettle of the novice crew is tested by the weather, the turbulent sea and enemy attacks -- one of which nearly destroys the Compass Rose.
      Director
      Charles Frend
      Screenwriter
      Eric Ambler, Nicholas Monsarrat
      Distributor
      Universal Pictures
      Production Co
      Ealing Studios, Michael Balcon Productions
      Genre
      War
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Aug 19, 1953, Original
      Runtime
      2h 6m