San Demetrio, London cover art

San Demetrio, London Details

1943 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 80
  • from 74 members

The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and left to the mercy of patrolling U-boats the crew must keep her afloat and out of harms way. Read more

Starring Arthur Young, Walter Fitzgerald, Ralph Michael, Neville Mapp
Director Charles Frend
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama

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San Demetrio, London

The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and left to the mercy of patrolling U-boats the crew must keep her afloat and out of harms way.

Starring Arthur Young, Walter Fitzgerald, Ralph Michael, Neville Mapp, Barry Letts, Michael Allen, Frederick Piper, Herbert Cameron, John Owers, Gordon Jackson, Robert Beatty
Director Charles Frend
Studio OPTIMUM
Run time DVD: 1 hr 44 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Action/Adventure, Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 12 May 2008
Production year: 1943
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (2) of San Demetrio, London

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  • A prototype docudrama, still inspiring in its fusion of entertainment and wartime propaganda, produced by Michael... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Rather flat and dated propaganda piece which seemed much more vivid at the time.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of San Demetrio, London

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    Modest Heroes

    Less well known than The Cruel Sea, or In Which We Serve, this film celebrates the courage, comradeship and ingenuity of a small band of merchant seamen forced to abandon their burning ship. It's a fitting if muted (according to our lights) tribute to the Merchant Navy who endured enormous hardships on the Atlantic convoys.

    Recently I've been watching a series of war films made during or just after WW2, so I'm in the swing of films made over 60 years ago: b&w, slow editing style, slightly stilted acting, simple un-bitter humour, little background music, crappy special effects… so unless you haven't seen a film for 60 years, and you have never seen a film pre 1960, don't expect this to give the same excitement as more recent war films might deliver.

    But thrills is not what the film is about. It shows the quiet bravery of a group of men, and when first screened modestly sang the men's achievements to a cinema public (Britons still at war in 1943) who appreciated and applauded this courage with a similar muted dignity. After all, the cinema were hearing of acts of heroism daily. And many were being brave themselves. It just left me with a feeling that we are all a bunch of jessies these days.

    So, for those who knows the WW2 film genre well but just haven't got round to seeing San Demetrio, London, this film will please.

    • SisterKaff
      • SisterKaff from Abingdon, Oxfordshire
  • Most recent members' review of San Demetrio, London

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    true story well told

    account of a merchant ship that was abandoned after being hit but when some of the crew find they have either the choice of re-boarding her or freezing to death in their open boat decide to do the former and their struggle to return in the ship to England. A paen to gallantery as played out by humans in a survive or die situation.

      • A customer from North of Reading
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Rating breakdown

74 Member ratings
  • 100
16
  • 90
6
  • 80
24
  • 70
13
  • 60
11
  • 50
1
  • 40
0
  • 30
1
  • 20
1
  • 10
1

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    • The San Demetrio of the title is a British merchant ship in an Atlantic convoy in 1940. Disabled and left to the mercy of patrolling U-boats the crew must keep her afloat and out of harms way....