Watch The Cruel Sea For Free

Good concept, poorly executed.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

I have only just watched this film as I thought it might be too distressing. My father fought through the Battle of the Atlantic under Captain Walker's convoy. He could never talk about it, yet before he died in 2003 he wrote a very detailed description of what happened with names, dates, etc. He must have kept a diary. He was Petty Officer (the youngest in the Royal Navy) on HMS Vanoc which destroyed the Ace of the German U-Boat fleet, U-99. He was mentioned in Despatches twice. Met my mother in Liverpool, married 1942. I was born later. His account of his war years can now be obtained on Amazon (or by contacting me): Scuppers to Skipper by W.P.Edney

Almost 60 years on this film retains its quality. If you haven't seen it for many years or read the book I strongly recommend you revisit them; they both stand the test of time extremely well. If you haven't seen the film and/or read the book I suggest you do so - you won't regret it. The film suffers a little from the decisions that are necessarily made in order to fit a long book to the time constraints imposed by a film although for its time it is quite long. There are several vignettes of individuals that are excluded completely. The character of Ferraby is neglected to a certain degree for it is he that Monserrat hangs much of the elements of horror in the story on. However overall the adaptation is sound and the film is lucid and extremely effective in its accurate portrayal of the longest and bloodiest battle of the second world war.

A classic of British cinema, director Charles Frend's "The Cruel Sea" documents five years in the lives of a motley group of British sailors. They're tasked with escorting Allied convoys during World War 2, but it's a seemingly impossible task; Germany's U-boat fleets prowl the seas and feast incessantly on British ships.Unlike most naval films of the era, "The Cruel Sea" is grim, depressing, gritty, pessimistic, suffused with futility and captures well the nuts and bolts banality of wartime. Occasionally the film's ship-board action gives way to several land-based, melodramatic subplots, which borrow heavily from the then burgeoning "kitchen sink" movement. Ealing Studio legend Jack Hawkins stars as the world-weary captain of a torpedo corvette.8/10 – Frend directed a number of British war films, but "The Cruel Sea" was his best. See too "Das Boot", "The Sand Pebbles", "The Last Detail", "Damn the Defiant", "Run Silent Run Deep" and "Sink the Bismarck!".

This is one of those rare olde black & white British films still regularly shown on British TV. So much so that I forgot that although I've seen it umpteen times it was probably over 10 years since the last time – but after 10 minutes I was hooked in again.That's because it's a marvellous film based on Nicholas Monsarrat's marvellous book, with neither a second nor a page wasted. Jack Hawkins is appointed ship's captain escorting Allied supply convoys sailing across the Atlantic, with Donald Sinden appointed as his First Mate after the terrible demise of Stanley Baker. They are the anchor points in a gripping set of episodes that portray the chaos of war and elements, and amongst a veritable sea of familiar British actors from the time. The acting is first rate, stiff upper lipped perfect diction type from the officers and homely honest gruffness from the crew – everyone runs true to social stereotypes here. And the dialogue is perfect too, with excellent photography and production. There's so many memorable episodes tragic and comic but a particularly favourite bit is after their ship has sunk and clever officer Sinden is trying to keep his drowsy crew awake and alive in the freezing night by endlessly singing Under The Spreading Chestnut Tree we find clever officer Hawkins has also been keeping his lolling crew alive by asking them asinine questions and getting them to applaud correct answers all night. Another is the over-coyness in showing up Denholm Elliot's unfaithful wife – my God, how different that would be portrayed nowadays!Ultimately the bond that has developed between the two main characters takes over, lending a heart warming twist to a rather grim 2 hours. An exceptional film, from the time before hype made every film exceptional.