In Which We Serve (1942)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Directors:

Noel Coward
David Lean

Writer:

Noel Coward (writer)

Release Date:

23 December 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

IT STANDS ALONE - The Greatest Of All Motion Pictures! [Australia theatrical]

Plot:

This "story of a ship," the British destroyer HMS Torrin, is told in flash backs by survivors as they cling to a life raft. |

Plot Keywords:

Destroyer | Ship Sinking | Lifeboat | Knitting | British Navy

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Noel Coward	...	Captain E. V. Kinross R.N. / Captain 'D'
Derek Elphinstone	...	No. 1
Michael Wilding	...	Flags
Robert Sansom	...	Guns
Philip Friend	...	Torps
Ballard Berkeley	...	Engineer Commander
Hubert Gregg	...	Pilot
James Donald	...	Doc
Michael Whittaker	...	Sub
Kenneth Carten	...	Sub-Lieutenant R.N.V.R.
John Varley	...	Secco
Bernard Miles	...	Chief Petty Officer Hardy / Walter Hardy
Caven Watson	...	Brodie
John Mills	...	Ordinary Seaman Blake / Shorty Blake
Geoffrey Hibbert	...	Joey Mackeridge

Runtime:

USA:115 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Sound System)

Certification:

UK:U | Australia:G | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

D and P Studios, Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Two Cities Films

Trivia:

The idea for the film sprang out of Noel Coward's friendship with Winston Churchill (the two often painted together) and his desire to do something more substantial than urbane comedies to help the war effort for his friend. Coward acutely felt that with the coming of war, the world of which he wrote - bright young things scampering around drawing rooms - was a world that no longer existed.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When a scene is shown in the wardroom, the point of view changes to simulate the ship moving. However the sherry or wine in the glasses does not move at all showing that it is the camera that is moving rather than the 'ship' (or set).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Voice: [voiceover] This is the story of a ship...
[long sequence of ship-building and launch]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Stunning propaganda Film by the Master.

In Which We Serve is a stunning and emotional piece of film making. Coward and David Lean sympathetically directed this thinly veiled account of Lord Montbatten's sea battle during WWII. Coward himself played the Montbatten role (renamed, Kinross for the film.), and turned in a sincere and 3 dimenional portrait. For those of you used to seeing Noel only in high comedy, this film is a revelation. Strong support is also given by Sir John Mills and Joyce Carey. Sir Noel won a special oscar for the screenplay.