Battle Of The River Plate
1956
In 'The Battle Of The River Plate' an account of the trapping, in 1939, of the German battleship 'Graf Spee' in the South Atlantic by three British cruisers is documented. 'In Which We Serve' tells the dramatic story of a British Navy destroyer, dive-bombed in the Battle of Crete, but always gallant to the last. 'We Dive At .. Read more
| Starring | John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Bernard Lee |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
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Battle Of The River Plate
In 'The Battle Of The River Plate' an account of the trapping, in 1939, of the German battleship 'Graf Spee' in the South Atlantic by three British cruisers is documented. 'In Which We Serve' tells the dramatic story of a British Navy destroyer, dive-bombed in the Battle of Crete, but always gallant to the last. 'We Dive At Dawn' tells the story of the sinking of the German battleship 'Brandenberg' by the British submarine 'Sea Tiger'. Three discs.
| Starring | John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Bernard Lee, Ian Hunter, Kenneth More, Kenneth More |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger |
| Studio | ITV DVD |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 54 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 17 Mar 2003 Production year: 1956 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Though this true-life Second World War adventure hardly rates alongside A Matter of Life and Death and The Red Shoes on the CV of writing-producing-directing duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, it is a tale well told and features some impressive location work — not least at sea in the Mediterranean. Peter Finch pulls off a noble German officer (no mean feat in a British war film, even in the 1950s), captain of pocket battleship the Graf Spee, the pursuit of which forms the basis of the action. Despite a surfeit of naval detail and some rather obvious shipboard sets, the climax in Montevideo makes it a worthwhile watch.
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A sympathetic view of a German hero, Commander Langsdorff (not unexpected from these producers), is the most notable feature of this disappointingly patchy and studio-bound war epic, with too many actors in ill-defined bit parts, too undisciplined a story
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Most helpful member's review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
TOP MOVIE !!!
Widely regarded as one of the best and most intelligent British war dramas of the 1950s, The Battle of River Plate is the story of Britain's first significant naval victory in WW2. John Gregson heads the cast as Captain Bell, skipper of the Exeter, one of several vessels engaged in pursuit of the 'indestructable' Geman battleship Graf Spee. Taking refuge in the neutral harbor of Montevideo, the Graf Spee is covertly protected by the Uruguayan government. Eventually, however, German captain Langsdorff (Peter Finch) is faced with a difficult decision: either stand his ground and fight a losing battle against the Exeter and its sister ships, or scuttle the Graf Spee and save the lives of his crew.
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Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
The Navy at it's best
Typical WW11, but has real values & can be enjoyed because People are important, as well as the principals involved.
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Battle Of The River Plate
In 'The Battle Of The River Plate' an account of the trapping, in 1939, of the German battleship 'Graf Spee' in the South Atlantic by three British cruisers is documented. 'In Which We Serve' tells the dramatic story of a British Navy destroyer, dive-bombed in the Battle of Crete, but always ...
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