San Demetrio London (1943) User Reviews

Under rated film

[henry-girling · 8/10 · 18 December 2002]

San Demetrio, London tells a simple story in a plain way. A merchant vessel from England sails to Galveston, picks up a cargo of oil and on the way back across the Atlantic is attacked. The crew abandon ship and later some of them re-board her and take her back home.

It is an inspiring story because it tells of ordinary people getting on with the job that, due to a world war, has to be done. These are modest heroes. Problems that come their way are solved unfussily. No one expects medals, they just get on with it. Being a war film the characters are the usual cross section of society united by the common peril. In the cold and the darkness they do their duty. You feel these are real people, not just actors.

This is not a spectacular film. The director does not go for high drama or self conscious acting. There is a death scene which is powerful in its understatement. The narrative is straight forward but exerts a gentle grip. You want to know what happens in the end. This is definitely an under rated film

Admirable

[Rabster22 · 7/10 · 23 April 2009]

As I write only 90 people have rated this film which suggests very few have seen it. That is a shame. It is however a difficult film to "sell" to a modern audience so used to fast-paced action, fireballs, gore and the odd bit of gratuitous nudity. This is understated in almost every way with true heroism treated as "just get on with it chaps." Made in 1943 it clearly has a 'propaganda' element to it, ordinary British (plus one American) merchant seamen facing terrible adversity and just getting on with the job. Not a hint of melodrama in sight. In one scene having re-boarded their crippled ship, the men have to decide whether to return to N. America (safer but against prevailing winds) or try to make it home but face further possible German attacks. They take a vote! A cool, calm measured vote at that. Having laid out the possible flaws in this film I would still urge anyone to watch it. It is not a wartime epic, it is a very good film.

This Film Needs a Remake!

[spookyrat1 · 6/10 · 5 September 2018]

Just amazed this film has never been remade. It's true story, certainly as seen in this low budget British wartime production, seems a perfect fit to get the 21st century, much bigger budget treatment. In the right hands, it could be a terrific cinematic spectacle as the story behind the film has really got it all. Merchant naval convoys and battles, heroism demonstrated not just on the part of the crew of the San Demetrio, but that of other ships too, especially the Jervis Bay, North Atlantic tempests, humour, pathos and in general a wonderfully marine-based, collective survival story.

In the interim, I guess we'll have to be satisfied with this low key instalment featuring a very young Gordon Jackson (as the mess boy would you believe) and regular Welsh mainstay character actor of British 40's and 50's films, Mervyn Johns (father of Glynis), playing the stoic, ill-fated, but delightfully named Greaser Boyle, who demonstrates on more than one occasion, that he was always prepared to take one for his fellow crew mates without complaint.

Quite a shock

[keith-hewle · 10 August 2003]

The captain of the Jervis Bay, Captain E. S. F. Fegen Royal Navy, was the escort commander for convoy HX84 traveling between Halifax and Great Britain.

The Jervis Bay was an armed merchant cruiser only equipped with four inch guns but quite adequate to deal with any German U boats which might happen to ' chance their arm. '

It was therefore quite a shock when he encountered the German pocket battleship, Admiral Scheer in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Certainly not where he would have expected a German surface raider to be.

Taking a gamble Captain Fegen engaged the raider, itself equipped with radar controlled eleven inch guns, and thus allowed the convoy a further twenty minutes to escape into the darkness which by that time was beginning to fall.

Several of the merchant ships were still badly damaged subsequently by the Admiral Scheer. San Demetrio was abandoned by her captain and crew, but later rejoined by part of her crew without the captain. This latter point together with the refusal to accept assistance once in home waters allowed the insurers to make salvage payments to all who embarked on the perilous voyage.

A member of the party interviewed after the war said that the men would have made every effort to save the ship and cargo in any event. Great Britain being upon its knees and fighting alone for her very existence against Germany, Italy and Japan with a neutral USSR and USA observing with a casual interest.

The King later awarded Captain Fegen the Victoria Cross in recognition of the courageous sacrifice of himself and his crew.

The film renders an entertaining account of this annal of the sea.

Propaganda Piece that Recognizes the Importance of Community during Times of War

[l_rawjalaurence · 7/10 · 19 December 2015]

Made during the pre-Ealing comedy era, when the studio was turning out a slew of propagandist dramas with a documentary feel (others included WENT THE DAY WELL? (1942), and THE FOREMAN WENT TO France (also 1942)), SAN DEMETRIO London tells the story of a British merchant ship blown up in 1940. The crew spend some time marooned in a life-boat, but eventually return to the stricken ship and manage to patrol it back to safety in the United Kingdom.

Co-directed by Charles Frend and Robert Hamer, the film has its roots in documentary, ranging from the use of stock footage to the way in which it examines the lives of ordinary sailors coping with extraordinary situations. The plight of Greaser John Boyle (Mervyn Johns) is sensitively handled, as he quite literally works himself to death and passes away at sea, dreaming of the nylon stockings he has bought for his wife as a present. He is given a funeral with full naval honors. Likewise Messboy John Jamieson's (Gordon Jackson's) transition from callow youth into mature deckhand is cleverly depicted, as some of his suggestions - initially dismissed as impractical by Chief Engineer Pollard (Walter Fitzgerald) turn out to be inspired, helping the crew survive their ordeal.

The film as a whole extols the value of community, of human beings setting aside their regional and national differences and learning how to pull together in times of extreme stress. "Yank" Preston (played by the Canadian Robert Beatty), an American passing for a Canadian, begins the film as something of a rebel, preferring the bottle to the responsibility of hard work, but soon proves to be an invaluable member of the crew. It is he who provides the Bible so that Boyle can be given an appropriate send-off to the other world. Even though the bombing of British cities had largely ceased by 1943 - the time of the film's release - it was important that people on the Home Front bonded together to aid the war effort, and SAN DEMETRIO London fulfilled an important purpose in communicating this message.

As befits a studio relying mostly on performances and directorial cunning rather than elaborate special effects, the film concentrates on characterization rather than incident. Some of the action sequences might seem a little rudimentary now - especially with the use of back-projections - but we have to remember that the film was produced under difficult conditions with a limited budget. Directors Frend and Hamer make skillful use of such constraints to produce a film that is at once surprisingly touching as well as stirring in its impact.

"Neat But Not Gaudy."

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 21 June 2015]

I rather warmed to this movie at its very opening. The San Demetrio, a good-sized tanker, being in port, is a bit loosely run. Two officers sit at a table and crack open a bottle. A third junior officer enters the compartment and the others invite him to join them. "What? At this time of day? Thanks." Alas, today no more booze on British ships.

It's 1940 and the San Demetrio loads up on oil at Galveston, Texas. Two new hands are hired, one a stereotypical bragging Texan. "I eat boatswains raw!" He shows up at the gangway drunk and is splashed with a bucket of water. He's a terrible actor but there are some familiar and reliable people in the cast: Mervyn Johns (aka Bob Cratchett in Alistair Sims' "Christmas Carol"), James Donald, Ralph Michael, and a youthful Gordon Jackson. Always nice to see old friends.

On the return trip the San Demetrio runs into a German raider, is hit twice, set afire, and abandoned. You don't want to be aboard an oil tanker on fire. The lifeboat carrying the officers is picked up by another ship in the convoy but the enlisted men's boat is alone on the icy sea. They row until they're battered about, sick, and exhausted, and the next day find the San Demetrio, burning but still afloat. They board her and set about making the scorched and broken vessel seaworthy again.

Admirable attention is paid to the details of the work. (How do you steer a ship towards home without a compass?) The snipes get their due. In its depiction of minor circumstantial demands, often dangerous, it reminds me a little of "The Wreck of the Mary Deare." The screenplay is original, not from a novel, and the writers knew the lingo. The San Demetrio is low in the water and a large wave sweeps over her stern. "That's what I call pooping," the chief yells out. He's right. The stern was, and sometimes still is, called the poop deck.

The special effects are of the period. There is little drama -- a man dies and is buried at sea -- and what there is, is all the more effective. It's a modest tale of the gallantry in hard and skillful work and it's pretty good.

The Sailors' Return

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 12 September 2020]

A rather talky and studio-bound dramatisation of an incident widely reported back at home during the autumn of 1940 handled with customary British sang froid.

The film was sufficiently unheroic for Churchill to take exception to it, so it evidently seemed less cosy at the time than it does now.

A solid story, well told

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 9 July 2019]

SAN DEMETRIO LONDON is another propaganda piece made by the British during WW2. This one tells of the merchant navy, focusing on a ship scuppered by a German warship and what happens to the survivors on board. The film makes extensive use of miniature effects to depict naval travel and battle, but works best when bringing to life the disparate characters of the small cast. The double act between seasoned engineer Mervyn Johns and a youthful Gordon Jackson is the highlight here, although the tag-along American adds drama. Overall this a solid story, well told, as were so many British films in this genre from the era.

Worthwhile

[chico-8 · 8/10 · 27 May 1999]

San Demetrio, London gives an interesting account of a British Oil Tanker which was attacked and abandoned by her crew, only to find the ship stayed afloat. Good performances and an interesting perspective, as the film was released during WW2.

Compelling

[dierregi · 6/10 · 14 April 2022]

It might have been a piece of propaganda made during WWII, but for sure this movie based on real events is compelling enough with its portrayal of normal people facing extremely hard conditions.

The San Demetrio, carrying highly inflammable fuel is bombed during the Battle of the Atlantic and the captain orders the abandon ship. Some unfortunate crew members spend two nights in a lifeboat, in freezy weather and then the current takes them back to their ship, still on fire but possibly not about to explode.

They decide to go back on board and face the risk because they cannot face the harsh conditions on the lifeboat and somehow they make it back.

The plot is a celebration of unsung, normal heroes, the type of people who do their job and just hope to make it, without any feeling of arrogance or super-heroic fake events.

Unbelievable but true story.

[paulmeffin · 10/10 · 13 July 2005]

A very well made (especially for the period) war film. Though i'm not really gonna talk about how the film was made, other than it isn't flashy or fancy, just does a good job of telling a wonderful story. Based on the true story of how a Merchant Navy petrol tanker was abandoned and then re-boarded by some of her own crew.

Also this is one of very few war films about the Merchant Navy (which suffered higher casualty and fatality rates than all the armed services), but it equally could be in peace time as only at the very start do you see Germans. Maybe thats why so few films were made about the Merchant Navy, whats a war film without some nasty Nazis in armbands with submachine guns running about and a few achtung minen signposts?

Quite possibly the best thing I can say about this film is that after seeing this as a kid I wanted to join the Merchant Navy, and I did, and I'm training to be an Engineer Officer, as these film clearly shows engineers are brilliant and deckies useless.

Engineers - 1, Deckies - 0.

Paul.

Good example of British stiff-upper-lippery

[JoeytheBrit · 7/10 · 15 October 2008]

This wartime propaganda film is pretty good in that it focuses on the strengths and determination of the British marine rather than relying on stereotypical portrayals of the enemy to stir up patriotic fervour. What we have here is a display of stiff-upper-lippery right through the ranks, from the plum-voiced officers down to the cor-blimey cockney galley slaves.

The story is a true one: a hardy band of survivors from a tanker under fire from German guns spend two days in a cramped lifeboat before finally sighting a ship only to find that it is the tanker from which they fled, somehow miraculously afloat and, with a little TLC, capable of transporting the crew back to land. I'm not quite sure why they spent two days rowing doggedly – admittedly they had to distance themselves form the flaming tanker and its cargo of oil, but surely it would have made more sense to remain reasonably close to where they had been as that would have been – and was –where the search for them would have begun.

There are a number of situations and obstacles the resourceful sailors have to cope with and, for the most part, they meet each one with jut-jawed resolution. Mervyn Johns, the little man with the loving wife at home encapsulates the spirit of the bulldog breed, battling on even with a tummy ache. His officer wonders out loud at Johns' endurance, prompting the remark from another officer that is something along the lines of 'you can never tell a person's reserves of strength until they're up against it' – a rallying call to the British audience – fighting alone with no major allies at the time – and a warning to their enemies. There's an Irishman amongst the crew, a Scot and a Taff. There's even a Yank, a sop to the US box office, and probably a deliberate attempt to get the film seen as widely as possible in the States to drum up pro-British sentiment.

The film is entertaining enough and you find yourself rooting for the disparate group, even though each is only given the briefest of character sketches before settling comfortably into pre-defined roles designed to appeal to as broad a spectrum of the population as possible, but it lacks any real emotion or depth.

Worthwhile viewing for budding historians and movie fans of the 1940s era.

[Andrew_S_Hatton · 8/10 · 15 August 2015]

It needs stressing this is a dramatic retelling of an actual event that happened during a world-wide war.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_San_Demetrio

At the time the film was made the whole nation of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland was in severe peril and so the film, like others was of far more importance than a vehicle to entertain.

I do not know if every detail is accurate in terms of what exactly happened but some aspects are particularly worth considering.

It portrays the men of the British merchant fleet - not the military and what they were doing was attempting to bring vital fuel oil to Britain for use to keep the nation functioning during the time back home they were under intermittent bombing attacks (I recollect it was November 1940) We are actually shown the oil port of Galveston Texas, which I found interesting and I presume the basic technical information about how a ship can be 'rescued' and sailed using auxiliary controls was also correct.

OK for entertainment and uplift there was the propagandising - the people seeing it back home in the UK - really did need the fuel that such ships were bringing and did have close relatives away from home in peril amidst uncertainty and they did come from all parts of the UK and even at that time much further afield. It is therefore natural reference was made to an Englishman, Scotsman... etc.etc., and even a North American - who was nominally Canadian because the regulations at that time made it 'legal' for him to be taken on as crew.

There was an element of the public service broadcast with mention of The Board of Trade (A UK Government Department) and the regulations allowing only non intoxicated seaman to board a British ship, anywhere in the world - but then showing us that regulation was not surprisingly disregarded.

I learned real stuff, some important some merely interesting, and I felt we were given - in just a hundred minutes a real idea of the perils that were faced by those involved in North Atlantic convoys.

I also learned - about a bit of social history - how the News of the World ( A Sunday newspaper of long-standing - strap-line- "all the news that's fit to print") really did give an award for darts players scoring three successive treble tops I checked it with my Internet Search engine and my finds included http://www.dartsnutz.net/showthread.php?tid=1206

Not the biography of a religious personage

[robertguttman · 8/10 · 10 March 2015]

Just for the record, "San Demetrio London" is not a religious movie, and it has nothing whatever to do with any sort of sacred personages. In fact the characters depicted in this movie are quite the antithesis.

"San Demetrio" was the name of a ship, a British commercial tanker operated by the Eagle Tanker Company, that was sailing during World War II. The incredible story recounted in the film is true, and the jaw-dropping ordeal endured by the members of the crew took place exactly as depicted. Without giving the story away, suffice it to say that, had these men been members of the military rather than mere civilian merchant seaman, it is very likely that every one of them would have been awarded the Victoria Cross.

I had heard of this movie for many years but only recently finally got the opportunity to actually view it. It is an extremely dramatic story told in a very simple and straightforward manner. That is as it should be, because the story itself is so dramatic that no embellishment is necessary, and would probably only diminish the impact of the story.

It is acknowledge that some of the special effects are less than first-quality by today's standards. However, allowances must be made for the fact that this film was produced in Britain in 1943, and there was a war on. That being said, the depiction of the tanker itself, and the details of the manner in which it was operated, are extremely accurate. I've sailed on several elderly merchant ships that had been built during WW-II, including an old T2 tanker, and I can vouch for the movie's authenticity. This is not altogether surprising when one considers that "San Demetrio London" was directed by the same man who later made "The Cruel Sea". Highly recommended as a depiction of WW- II at sea.

Anything for a cup of tea

[derekparry · 28 November 2002]

The tale of tanker on a return trip to Galviston, Texas. It has a bit of a run in with a "Jerry" boat and the remainder of the film depicts the courage of the crew trying to keep things afloat. As the film was made during World War II the sentiments are entirely predictable/understandable.

Gordon Jackson looks worryingly young and the Britishness of the movie is summed up when the Captain risks blowing up the boat for the sake of giving the crew a hot cup of tea.

Don't expect anything too spectacular but enjoy a feelgood movie 1943 style.

One of the best films of 1943/44 you've never heard of.

[mark.waltz · 10/10 · 7 September 2022]

Three lifeboats are adrift after an attack on the tanker, the San Demetrio London, and two are rescued. But nature's wrath forces the third lifeboat occupants to reboard the damaged tanker and get it to safety, but they are surrounded by the elements of the sea as well as German U-boats, so it's going to take some quick thinking and level heads for these men to survive.

This is based on a real life 1940 incident, and the producers wisely did not pass with major stars although a few of the supporting players are familiar character actors (Mervyn Johns, Walter Fitzgerald, Gordon Jackson, Charles Victor and Robert Beatty) from other well known British films. This is absolutely no nonsense in the way it is filmed, exciting and fast moving, only utilizing a teeny bit of time to show the crew in frivolous activities.

They did a great job of showing the dangerous elements surrounding the damaged boat, and the result is a gripping war drama very true to life because it is life. I'm adding this film to my top 50 of the year, including honors for the direction, script, photography, editing, musical score and above all, special effects. An absolutely perfect movie.

World War II movie honoring a rare and gallant feat

[myriamlenys · 8/10 · 30 January 2024]

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...

Low-key but enjoyable wartime story of soldiering on

[bob the moo · 4 January 2003]

The San Demetrio is a tanker that is apart of an trans-Atlantic convoy travelling to England from the States. When the convoy is attacked by an U-boat their destroyer is sunk and the San Demetrio is damaged very badly and the crew abandon ship. All the life boats are picked up but one boat drifts and is lost. Weeks later the crew in the lifeboat come across a ship, only to find that the San Demetrio has survived despite burning badly. The crew re-board the ship but find that getting the fire out is only the first of the dangers they must overcome.

I must have read the wrong synopsis when I thought of watching this film – I thought it was a standard action packed film where the crew of a tanker battle against the u-boat. Regardless of this, I was glad I watched it as it was different from the usual wartime propaganda in some ways and was quite enjoyable, if not thrilling. The plot shows the men battle through difficult conditions and being heroes without realy thinking of it – they were just doing their duty and being themselves. This message is still important today and is told in a low-key way with the need for action etc.

However, being low-key means that not all the tension of them being on a burning ship (that could explode) comes through. Likewise the majority of the danger they face remains with them and I never felt gripped or on the edge of my seat – the most I could say is that it was interesting rather than involving. The cast do well despite the irritating addition of an American to the cast (yes, the studios have been doing it that long!), but this is a minor annoyance. The rest are all good British stiff upper lips regardless of class or rank.

Overall this is an enjoyable little film but I wanted it to be as exciting on the screen as it could have been. Sadly the low-key nature of the film makes the tension turn into more interest than edge-of-seat tension.