The downed crew of a British destroyer have plenty of time to dwell on fond memories of their past as they cling to a raft on the open sea during the early days of WWII. Noel Coward's IN WHICH WE SERVE is a superior treatment of war--at sea and at home--as seen from the viewpoint of various crew members.
NOEL COWARD plays the Captain of the ill-fated destroyer; JOHN MILLS is a young sailor recalling his romance with a nice British gal, KAY WALSH; CELIA JOHNSON is Coward's Navy wife who knows the ship is the foremost thing in her husband's life, but she bravely salutes it at a Christmas party; and the large male supporting cast includes MICHAEL WILDING, a very young RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH as a troubled sailor and BERNARD MILES.
The homefront scenes are reminiscent of a veddy, veddy British version of SINCE YOU WENT AWAY (especially the romance between Kay Walsh and John Mills). It's all very stiff upper lip and that sort of thing, as expected from the British.
There's an artfulness in the manner in which the story veers back and forth between past and present, mixing scenes of battle with homefront memories. Superb craftsmanship in writing, acting and direction and truly one of '42's finest films. Coward, who co-directed with David Lean, received an award for "outstanding production achievement".
One of the rare British films that was distributed in America at time of release, long before Americans were accustomed to viewing British films.
NOEL COWARD plays the Captain of the ill-fated destroyer; JOHN MILLS is a young sailor recalling his romance with a nice British gal, KAY WALSH; CELIA JOHNSON is Coward's Navy wife who knows the ship is the foremost thing in her husband's life, but she bravely salutes it at a Christmas party; and the large male supporting cast includes MICHAEL WILDING, a very young RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH as a troubled sailor and BERNARD MILES.
The homefront scenes are reminiscent of a veddy, veddy British version of SINCE YOU WENT AWAY (especially the romance between Kay Walsh and John Mills). It's all very stiff upper lip and that sort of thing, as expected from the British.
There's an artfulness in the manner in which the story veers back and forth between past and present, mixing scenes of battle with homefront memories. Superb craftsmanship in writing, acting and direction and truly one of '42's finest films. Coward, who co-directed with David Lean, received an award for "outstanding production achievement".
One of the rare British films that was distributed in America at time of release, long before Americans were accustomed to viewing British films.