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Pursuit of the Graf Spee

Play trailer Poster for Pursuit of the Graf Spee Released Nov 30, 1956 1h 59m War Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
British officers (John Gregson, Anthony Quayle) chase the German pocket battleship Graf Spee to Uruguay, where its captain (Peter Finch) scuttles it.

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Empire Magazine Not Powell and Emeric's greatest work, but still a cut above many '50s war movies. Rated: 3/5 May 14, 2012 Full Review Variety Staff Variety The battle sequences, in which the lightweight British cruisers close in on the Graf Spee and force the enemy to take shelter in Montevideo harbor, are powerful, exciting and technically impressive. Mar 26, 2009 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times Give the British filmmakers a good, rousing subject from their own naval history and they're almost certain to come up with a picture that proudly bespeaks the courage and audacity of a hero breed. Rated: 3.5/5 Jan 28, 2006 Full Review MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin This account of the first of the war's major naval actions is straightforward, serious and made with a scrupulous concern to be fair to both sides. Jan 24, 2018 Full Review TV Guide The film is adroitly directed by Powell and Pressburger, though the concentration is on the vessels, rather than the men aboard them. Rated: 1.5/4 May 14, 2012 Full Review Sean Axmaker Seanax.com The miniature work is excellent and physical production impressive even as the filmmakers constantly deny the spectacle of battle to focus on the people... Nov 18, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (62) audience reviews
Satin B Boring as a cardboard sandwich ⚠️ Typical bbc Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/27/23 Full Review andy f An average war film that starts well and has beautiful cinematography. However it turns into an almost drawn out farce and becomes fairly painful viewing. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review r 9 'The Battle of the River Plate' kicks off enjoyably, though does conclude a little less so. The first act and beginning of the second act are very fun to watch, as they build up the strength of the Admiral Graf Spee. Bernard Lee (Capt Dove) and Peter Finch (Capt Langsdorff) have a load of scenes together which are excellent, Finch particularly does a grand job with his role. The action sequences are very nice throughout, though after the initial stuff with the three Royal Navy cruisers the film does lose some interest - it kinda plods its way to its finale, which admittedly is rather good. They probably should've shorten things in-between. It is a very fine production though, all the more impressive given it was released in 1956. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review rory s I loved this movie. Great battle scenes. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Must watch Maritime Movie! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member A below rate sea battle, the first hour or so is even less satisfactory. This is the start of WWII and the Germans are shown quite hospitable, even to the point of a Christmas celebration with the British prisoners held captive. Tough to understand the dialect of the crews. [img]http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/xvFgWeuFnRg/hqdefault.jpg[/img] British seamen prisoners in their stocking feet One important fact: The U.S.S. Salem was used to be the German ship, but the U.S. Navy would not permit anything German on board, not even German helmets or the Swastika. So when you see the introductory scenes on board ship, those helmets are American which had to be weird to audiences! [img]https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNFUNcIIv2DfuZugS8GE6BDMteq6TCPVX1QRB_NaHatanzBI6Shw[/img] Note the headline lower left While inspired by a book of a seaman prisoner, the movie does portray the British side of things but also the human side of capture. The acting by the many extras is not too great and the interior shots just shout out STUDIO compared to the ocean going, exterior shot filming seems stock footage. [img]http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/post_images/1340/Plate_2.jpg?1283186119[/img] Powell/Pressburger films are often thought of as being stylized to the point of near-whimsy. SEE the entire film here, shot in widescreen its a pleasure for youtube viewers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a04C5-znaYY REVIEWS by those like us: 90% This film is dripping in classic a list starts, It tells the true story of In the ensuing battle, Exeter was severely damaged and forced to retire; Aj... More 50% Watchable, But Nothing Special. Movie was a bit flat & slow in places. NOTES: 1. The Battle of the River Plate only hints at one aspect of the story: the death of Captain Hans Langsdorff, who committed suicide a few days after he scuttled his ship. Langsdorff is shown as subdued and depressed afterwards. 2 The film devotes nearly twenty minutes to the battle, which actually lasted a little more than an hour before becoming a chase into Montevideo (South America). [img]https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS-b4d-nxFlAWnRv0m7FrG0KFC99fiPyzm_E7QvaM_1IawQK9EumA[/img] [img]http://pixhost.me/avaxhome/c8/8f/001d8fc8_medium.jpeg[/img] Scenes like these appear so studio it's rediculous, these guys are on dry land for sure Cast John Gregson as Captain Frederick "Hookie" Bell, HMS Exeter Anthony Quayle as Commodore Henry Harwood, HMS Ajax Ian Hunter as Captain Charles Woodhouse, HMS Ajax Jack Gwillim as Captain Edward Parry, HMS Achilles Bernard Lee as Captain Patrick Dove, MS Africa Shell Peter Finch as Captain Hans Langsdorff, Admiral Graf Spee Lionel Murton as Mike Fowler, American radio reporter in Montevideo Anthony Bushell as Eugen Millington-Drake, the British Minister in Uruguay Peter Illing as Dr Alberto Guani, Uruguayan Foreign Minister Michael Goodliffe as Captain Henry McCall, British Naval Attaché in Buenos Aires Patrick Macnee as Lieutenant Commander Ralph Medley, HMS Ajax John Chandos as Dr Otto Langmann, the German Minister in Uruguay Douglas Wilmer as M. Desmoulins, the French Minister in Uruguay William Squire as Ray Martin, British SIS agent in Montevideo Roger Delgado as Captain Varela, Uruguayan Navy Andrew Cruickshank as Captain William Stubbs, SS Doric Star John Le Mesurier as the Chaplain of HMS Exeter Christopher Lee as Manolo, bar owner in Montevideo harbour Edward Atienza as Pop, Mike Fowler's gaucho assistant April Olrich as Dolores (singing voice by Muriel Smith) Peter Dyneley as Captain John Robison, SS Newton Beech (uncredited) [img]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTrHw1GjrcslLB7JOmd_b3TG2X2p-SqXnI2zs72faQBBe_V-Ht7[/img] A more humane portrayl of a German officer Directed by Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger Produced by Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger Written by Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger Narrated by David Farrar [img]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQnRo3zvwzor6YChMCgjItZUycw44vesDsCyXeHAx6ZWMBNf51g[/img] Starring John Gregson Anthony Quayle Peter Finch Music by Brian Easdale Cinematography Christopher Challis Editing by Reginald Mills Distributed by Rank Film Distributors Ltd. Release dates 30 November 1956 (UK) Running time 119 minutes Country United Kingdom Language English [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bc/Battle_River_Plate_poster.jpg/220px-Battle_River_Plate_poster.jpg[/img] Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Pursuit of the Graf Spee

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Movie Info

Synopsis British officers (John Gregson, Anthony Quayle) chase the German pocket battleship Graf Spee to Uruguay, where its captain (Peter Finch) scuttles it.
Director
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Producer
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Screenwriter
Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Production Co
The Archers
Genre
War, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 30, 1956, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Nov 9, 2010
Runtime
1h 59m