The Age of Commercialism

A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Cinematographically it is a poor, conventional film. Photography is at times excellent but that is not enough to overcome the defects of a mediocre script. The actors repeat their parts without much conviction (except Hawkins and Finch) and the Latin character of Christopher Lee (the future Dracula) deserves to be remembered in the history of cinema as one of the most exhilarating cartoons that have been seen in movies. For all the technical errors that the film contains and for the glamorous presentation of the cruelty of war, this work is disgusting. Not only is the view of war, the supposed chivalry of enemies, questionable, but also the lack of historical truth. The Graf Spee arrived at the coasts of Mar del Plata (south of the city of Buenos Aires) and there many sailors descended freely. This is top secret perhaps because of some unknown agreement between British, Argentines and Nazis. That is understandable in 1939, when the events occurred ... but not in 1956 when the film was made. In addition, to some extent, the no hidden admiration towards the Nazi chivalry shown in several scenes recalls Howard Hugues' "Hell's Angels" ... and Mr. Hugues had a great deal of sympathy for Nazi Germany. I do not know if it's a problem of inferiority complex on the part of Great Britain, but I remember that James Mason proudly incarnated Rommel in another film. It seems that not only several components of the British royal nobility admired the Nazis. In short: forgettable.

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While this film is well acted and historically fairly accurate, it contains one glaring oversight. While introducing Capt. Langsdorf as an efficient and likable officer, we know nothing of his actions during the battle. The film portrays all the actions aboard the three British cruisers but never shows what was occurring on the bridge of the Graf Spee. We know Langsdorf was under orders to avoid engaging enemy warships. What was his reaction when he sighted the three British cruisers? What caused his decision to engage them? What orders did he give during the battle? We know what the British captains did but nothing about what Langsdorf did? We know the extent of the British damage but nothing of the extent of the Graf Spee damage. From the time the British cruisers sight the Graf Spee, we follow the actions on the bridge of Ajax, Achilles and Exeter but nothing of what is going on aboard the Graf Spee other than the reactions of the British prisoners aboard? How effective would a film of the battle of Waterloo have been if it only showed Wellington's actions and ignored Napoleons? A film that far better addresses this problem was "The Enemy Below" starring Robert Mitchum as the American destroyer captain and Curt Jurgens as the German U-boat commander. Throughout the engagement, we know what each is doing and both adversaries are presented in a positive light. It should be added that the heavily damaged Exeter was a star crossed ship, later sunk by the Japanese in the Java Sea.

"The Battle of the River Plate" (1956) is Powell and Pressburger's most underrated movie. Set in 1939, its about the British navy trying to capture "The Graf Spee" pursued by the "HMS Ajax", "HMS Exeter" and "HMS Achilles".Most people say it is not up to the standard as, say, "A Matter of Life and Death", but I disagree. As it is not one of the more wider known parts of World War Two, it makes the first half tense and exciting. But its the second half, when "The Graf Spee" hides in a neutral port where it kicks into high gear. The whole place reeks of atmosphere, unequalled in any over Powell and Pressburger film. As I have said before, a very underrated movie, that is well worth watching.