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In Which We Serve

Play trailer Poster for In Which We Serve 1942 1h 54m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Co-directors David Lean and Noel Coward (in his sole filmmaking effort) created this patriotic World War II drama under the auspices of Great Britain's Ministry of Information. After the sinking of the HMS Torrin during the Battle of Crete in 1941, the ship's survivors -- including Captain Kinross (Noel Coward), Chief Petty Officer Hardy (Bernard Miles) and Seaman Blake (John Mills) -- recall their tour of duty in flashback while awaiting rescue in lifeboats being strafed by German airplanes.
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In Which We Serve

Critics Reviews

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Manny Farber The New Republic 03/25/2022
One is aware from the start of this movie that it is something new, not done before... The content of each shot was conceived in a film sense rather than any other, and no other picture this year has equaled it. Not even nearly. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 11/06/2007
No less than half a dozen credits for this film go to Noel Coward. And they're well earned. Go to Full Review Tom Milne Time Out 06/24/2006
Staged with what passed at the time for honest understatement, it now looks impossibly patronising, the epitome of stiff upper lip. Go to Full Review T.C. Kemp Birmingham Post 02/17/2022
Because Mr. Coward has held himself in with admirable restraint, the effect of In Which We Serve is a taut emotion. Go to Full Review Gilbert Seldes Esquire Magazine 09/20/2019
Palpably fraudulent. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/06/2019
4/4
Established Lean as the a director to watch, and foreshadowed his later prowess at focusing on intimate themes against a grand backdrop. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O 05/02/2023 A standard war time propaganda film this time paying homage to the British navy. Was immediately struck by how quick the family speak to each other in those 1940s clipped tones. It's all pretty obvious and wet, nothing to get excited about but is paced reasonably enough to keep you engaged. See more Stephen R 01/06/2023 I found Coward's portrayal of the Captain ludicrous. Arch, camp and far too old for the age of his children it was devoid of any human emotion. Very good supporting cast but very patronising towards the lower deck. Watch The Cruel Sea if you want to see what the RN was really like during the war. See more john m 03/09/2022 I felt it was an honest movie for it's time was a British propaganda flick. And ( disagreed with the review from Esquire Magazine that it was ‘Fraudulent' The reviewer must be a teenager and not understand the turbulence in 1942. See more 11/05/2021 Sorry but I found this pretty dull. Firstly I don't like a film told in flashbacks anyway but is simply not enough to interest me. Yes I get this was released during WW2 and contains lots of stick upper lip British bravado, but its aged badly in my mind. See more 09/12/2021 Great film full of stiff upper lips . Starring noel coward and the great john mills .also featuring Ballard barcley the major from fawlty towers. See more @ExcessMale 01/12/2021 A tribute to the British navy during World War II but also an arresting 40's motion picture with some developed emotional impact and some searing plot points and performances. See more Read all reviews
In Which We Serve

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Cast & Crew

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Noël Coward

Director

David Lean

Director

Noël Coward

Capt. Edward V. Kinross

John Mills

Ordinary Seaman Shorty Blake

Bernard Miles

CPO Walter Hardy

Celia Johnson

Alix Kinross

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In Which We Serve

In Which We Serve (1942) In Which We Serve (1942) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Co-directors David Lean and Noel Coward (in his sole filmmaking effort) created this patriotic World War II drama under the auspices of Great Britain's Ministry of Information. After the sinking of the HMS Torrin during the Battle of Crete in 1941, the ship's survivors -- including Captain Kinross (Noel Coward), Chief Petty Officer Hardy (Bernard Miles) and Seaman Blake (John Mills) -- recall their tour of duty in flashback while awaiting rescue in lifeboats being strafed by German airplanes.
Director
Noël Coward, David Lean
Producer
Noël Coward
Screenwriter
Noël Coward
Distributor
Belle & Blade Studios, United Artists, Criterion Collection
Production Co
Two Cities Films Ltd., British Lion Film Corporation
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 23, 1942, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Mono
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