Few morale-boosting wartime films have retained their power and entertainment value as emphatically as Noël Coward's In Which We Serve. To witness Coward's sober, no-nonsense direction (in collaboration with his co-director/editor, David Lean) and to watch his straightforward portrayal of navy captain Kinross, one would never suspect that he'd built his theatrical reputation upon sophisticated drawing-room comedies and brittle, witty song lyrics. The real star of In Which We Serve is the British
destroyer Torrin. Torpedoed in battle, the Torrin miraculously survives, and is brought back to English shores to be repaired. The paint is barely dry and the nuts and bolts barely in place before the Torrin is pressed into duty during the Dunkirk evacuation. The noble vessel is finally sunk after being dive-bombed in Crete, but many of the crew members survive. As they cling to the wreckage awaiting rescue, Coward and his men flash back to their homes and loved ones, and, in so doing, recall anew just why they're fighting and for whom they're fighting. Next to Coward, the single most important of the film's characters is Shorty Blake, played by John Mills. (Trivia note: Mills' infant daughter Juliet Mills appears as Shorty's baby.) Even so, the emphasis in the film is on teamwork; here as elsewhere, there can be no stars in wartime. For many years, the only prints available to television were from the bowdlerized American version, which crudely cut out all "hells" and "damns." Fortunately, this eviscerated American release has since been shelved in favor of the full, glorious 115-minute version. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Perhaps the most honored propaganda film of World War II, in which the survivors of a torpedoed British battleship recall their reasons for fighting through individual flashbacks.
Though agit-prop and sentimental, this UK WWII drama is superior to Hollywood's patriotic flagwavers, and it's important historically, featuring the directorial debut of David Lean (with Noel Coward), who became a major international figure in the 1950s
A good British war film about a stranded crew of a British Destroyer on a life raft. The whole film is told in flashbacks and that is what I think hurts the film. It was original then, but it takes you out of the story almost every time it happens. Coward's screenplay is great and all of the characters are strong.
David Lean helps him with the direction, which makes it look good and really helps the acting. Entertaing film all around, but I wish it was set up a little different without the all of the flashbacks.
One of the finest World War II dramas, a superb cast, excellent direction and score. Very moving story. It can be a bit schmaltzy, but then again, it was made at the peak of the war. Exceptional in every aspect.
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