A member of Convoy HX84 out of Halifax, the "San Demetrio" was attacked by the Germans while crossing the Atlantic. After the ship was hit, the captain ordered an emergency evacuation, acting on the reasonable assumption that the fires would cause the volatile cargo to explode. Days later one of the lifeboats accidentally bumped into the "San Demetrio", which had somehow kept afloat. The crew members in the lifeboat were now faced with a terrible choice : either to remain in the lifeboat (thus risking death through freezing and starvation) or else to re-board their still-burning ship (thus risking death through incineration).
I won't spoil your viewing pleasure by disclosing what happened next. Suffice it to say that the people in the lifeboat pulled off an ultra-rare naval accomplishment, thanks to a combination of teamwork, ingenuity and professional expertise. The result of their efforts is a feat well worth remembering.
The movie "San Demetrio London" is a good dramatization of these events. Made with considerable effort and care, it delivers an inspiring message about persistence in the face of adversity without drowning the whole in gallons of propaganda. The story unfolds in a clear and linear fashion, allowing even landlubbers to understand the various practical difficulties to be overcome.
The technical advice must have been excellent, since the naval scenes look plausible and realistic. The good ship "San Demetrio" springs to life again not once but twice : the first time as a well-designed and well-maintained vessel and the second time as a wheezing semi-wreck kept together by twine and prayer. Meanwhile the scenes showing the men slaving away in a frigid lifeboat will cause many a viewer to shiver in sympathy.
As far as I can tell there aren't too many movies that pay tribute to the wartime exploits of the merchant navy, so this movie could be an exception. Anyway, it reminds one of the fact that wars on sea are fought - and won - not only by admirals dripping with gold braid, but also by humble mechanics and engineers used to transporting oil, corned beef or bananas.
So how to tell at a glance that this is a British movie ? You'll notice how the shivering men greet a dram of rum as a welcome treat. But it is a pot of nice hot tea that restores them to the land of the living...
I won't spoil your viewing pleasure by disclosing what happened next. Suffice it to say that the people in the lifeboat pulled off an ultra-rare naval accomplishment, thanks to a combination of teamwork, ingenuity and professional expertise. The result of their efforts is a feat well worth remembering.
The movie "San Demetrio London" is a good dramatization of these events. Made with considerable effort and care, it delivers an inspiring message about persistence in the face of adversity without drowning the whole in gallons of propaganda. The story unfolds in a clear and linear fashion, allowing even landlubbers to understand the various practical difficulties to be overcome.
The technical advice must have been excellent, since the naval scenes look plausible and realistic. The good ship "San Demetrio" springs to life again not once but twice : the first time as a well-designed and well-maintained vessel and the second time as a wheezing semi-wreck kept together by twine and prayer. Meanwhile the scenes showing the men slaving away in a frigid lifeboat will cause many a viewer to shiver in sympathy.
As far as I can tell there aren't too many movies that pay tribute to the wartime exploits of the merchant navy, so this movie could be an exception. Anyway, it reminds one of the fact that wars on sea are fought - and won - not only by admirals dripping with gold braid, but also by humble mechanics and engineers used to transporting oil, corned beef or bananas.
So how to tell at a glance that this is a British movie ? You'll notice how the shivering men greet a dram of rum as a welcome treat. But it is a pot of nice hot tea that restores them to the land of the living...