Don't listen to the negative reviews

A lot of fun.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This film is superb, tremendous atmosphere, brilliant acting and just the right length. The two ships are a Flower class corvette and a Castle class frigate-correct for the period portrayed. They both add to the atmosphere that convoy escort must have been like cold, wet and occasional terror/excitement. Jack Hawkins is spot on as the captain, Stanley Baker gives a wonderful portrayal of a bullying 1st Lieutenant, Virginia McKenna looking gorgeous, Donald Sinden may have done a better role, but I have not seen it and there is not a single weak character amongst the rest of the cast. Almost a documentary and a great reminder of a country that was the greatest in the world and is now just a sad shadow of her former self.

The Cruel Sea is undoubtedly a truly English film. There are no almighty heroes giving spirited speeches to stir their men. This is where The Cruel Sea's strength lies - as a wholly convincing vignette of naval warfare. The film spends much of its time depicting the monotony of the ship's duties (as a convoy vessel) and on the relationships developed between the ship's staff. This is not to say that it doesn't deliver - in a stark, honest way - on the threat and heat of battle. The viewer senses the danger surrounding the ship - stormy weather can be just as threatening as U-Boats closing in. The audience is given great sympathy for the situation the sailors are put into. Little is shown of life onshore (and in most of the onshore scenes the ships company are present, such as when an officer returns home to visit his wife on leave). Because of this, once we return to the ship, the viewer is forced to feel the same helplessness as the sailors must have felt in war. Like the sailors, the viewer knows nothing of the lives of their families back home, nor of the commanding decisions being made which influence the ships duties.Jack Hawkins puts forward, as ever, a memorable and thoughtful performance as the capable and dutiful ship's Captain. We sense his character struggling to remain stoic as he is forced to make life and death decisions in grim circumstances. All the ships officers put in solid performances, particularly as their characters develop - starting out as inexperienced recruits and being trained up to responsible officers as they get used to the way of life in the Navy and of the attitude needed to cope through war.The film touches on other areas. Comedy is offered in amusing turns of dialogue which wouldn't seem out of place in films made today. Equally, some time is given to romance, between an onshore Officer (played by Virginia McKenna) and a seaman on board. And of course, being a war film, there are a fair few explosions and plenty of tense, thrilling moments.The Cruel Sea uses its 2-hour running length brilliantly, giving just the right time to cover each aspect of war. None of the scenes overstay their welcome. A memorable and important part for me is the opening, especially with the voice-over of Jack Hawkins. It sets the tone of the film perfectly.This is by far one of the better war films I have seen. It is entertaining as you watch and thought-provoking afterwards. A must-watch if you liked Das Boot.

Possibly the best film of naval warfare set in World War 2. Heck, it's possibly the best war film about World War 2! It is a film that gets under your skin not because of a famous name being at the head of the credits but due to all concerned making it 'real'. Based on an outstanding novel (well worth reading) by Nicholas Monsarrat, who relied heavily on his own experiences, the screenplay was by Eric Ambler, no mean author himself, who extracted, then honed, planed and polished the essentials of the novel giving the production team and actors a script that couldn't fail. (The book gives deeper background detail on the characters.)The use of black and white film stock throughout allowed the mostly seamless insertion of combat film with an extremely fine touch. Even the occasional 'model' shots don't jar the senses like they tend to do in other war films. This film was released in the 1950's so 'propaganda' was not a motive in making it.The perfidy of the Atlantic is shown at its most raw moods, touching everyone abroad on its waters regardless of race or ideology. Corvettes like the 'Compass Rose' were, for the most part, inherently unstable ships at the best of times…pitting them against the Atlantic gales, swells, mountainous waves, snow and ice with mostly 'hostilities-only' seamen was a test that few failed…and in the early years of the u-boat war, they were sacrificial targets as they tried to protect life-blood convoys carrying the men and matériel to and from Britain to Canada, the United States, the Mediterranean, South America, Russia and the Far East. The courage and determination of these seamen should never be forgotten.The dramatic aspects are brilliantly realised due in no small part to the actors and actresses who appear in the film. In lesser roles and cameos, the likes of Fred Griffiths, Liam Redmond, Alec McCowen, Virginia McKenna, Bruce Seton, Walter Fitzgerald, Meredith Edwards, Megs Jenkins, Stanley Baker, Moira Lister and Sam Kydd put in such good performances that it seems almost churlish to name any of the actors in the film as they all made outstanding contributions to the 'feel' of it. Sam Kydd even does a couple of post-production short lip-syncs for a couple of other actors. However, Jack Hawkins must get a special mention as he expresses the pride, commitment, conscience, shame, determination and strength of character that WAS Captain Ericson. I often wonder how many 'name' actors of that film period would have allowed themselves to shed tears on screen and let the 'stiff-upper lip' slide away to show a man whose heart has been ripped from his chest and yet who knows that regardless of what has happened, he has to go on. Two other names I do want to mention are firstly Donald Sinden, as Lockhart, the No.1, who Ericson comes to regard as his 'rock' but wouldn't express it as so, and who gives a finely judged performance of someone mature but not cocky, learning the ropes under a commanding officer who is both patient and critical when necessary. The other is John Stratton whose character of Ferraby is both carefully etched and compassionately extracted to show a personality who, although plucked from his home and his new wife and lacking in maturity, and feeling somewhat out of his depth, is determined to do what hundreds of thousands of volunteers & conscripts did at that time of Britain's greatest need.....their best. Unfortunately Ferraby, who like many others, had only so much nervous courage, and who, under the constant strain of the convoy losses and the not knowing when a torpedo would rip into the ship, finally cracked when the 'Compass Rose' was torpedoed and sunk. If he hadn't been serving with Ericson and Lockhart he probably would've have cracked-up sooner. But this film must be regarded as a whole. It is a dramatic, sensitive, thought-provoking, finely-written experience, expertly directed by Charles Frend (who also directed that fine homage to the Merchant Navy, 'San Demetrio, London' in 1943). There is an atmosphere to the movie that lifts it above so many others. Even the 'love-interest' becomes an essential part of the film and not just a tacky add-on as so often seems to be the case. Most of those involved in the making of this film had served in the forces and brought their expertise and knowledge to the set. A final mention must be made about the bleak, intrinsic and melancholy film score by Alan Rawsthorne which puts the final sheen on a film that repeated viewings does not diminish in any way....and no, I've never been in the Navy nor have any of my nearest relatives as far as I'm aware.As a footnote for those interested in the time-period depicted in the film....there is another superb novel that I would recommend (although difficult to obtain), based on his real-life 'below-decks' convoy escort experiences, and that is 'Very Ordinary Seaman' by J.P.W.Mallalieu and first published in 1944.

The best thing about this WWII naval picture is that it is so ordinary. What I mean by this is that there is no bigger-than-life Hollywood style hero who is invincible, but a collection of normal men showing great heroism collectively--sort of a tribute to the unsung heroes of the war. It's set aboard a convoy escort ship's captain and crew--through their tense moments, trials, successes and failures. In other words, its a WHOLE portrait of the war as seen through these sailors' eyes--the good, the bad and the mundane.The second best thing is the lovely look and feel--with great acting and direction. Jack Hawkins was, as always, wonderful but all the actors playing the crew did so well--and it's a tribute to the production and direction--this didn't just happen by chance.In many ways, this film plays a lot like the great British film "In Which We Serve"--though unlike "In Which", "The Cruel Sea" was made after the war. Both films together would make a wonderful night of movie viewing. Solid and exceptional.