In Which We Serve
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| In Which We Serve | |
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| Directed by | David Lean |
| Produced by | Noel Coward |
| Written by | Noel Coward |
| Starring | Noel Coward John Mills Bernard Miles Celia Johnson |
| Music by | Clifton Parker |
| Distributed by | British Lion United Artists (U.S.) |
| Release date(s) | September 17, 1942 |
| Running time | 115 min |
| Country | U.K. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
In Which We Serve is a 1942 war film that tells the story of the British destroyer HMS Torrin, as told in flashbacks by the survivors as they cling to a life raft.
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[edit] Cast, crew, & awards
It was written by and starred Noel Coward, and was directed by Coward and David Lean, both making their directorial debuts. Coward played Captain Edward Kinross, commander of a destroyer flotilla ("Captain D"). Celia Johnson portrayed his wife, Alix. The cast also included Richard Attenborough (in his film debut), John Mills as Ordinary Seaman "Shorty" Blake, Bernard Miles as Chief Petty Officer Walter Hardy, Ann Stephens as Lavinia Kinross and Daniel Massey as Bobby Kinross.
In Which We Serve won an Honorary Academy Award, presented to Coward for "his outstanding production achievement". It was also nominated for Oscars for Best Picture and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.
[edit] Plot
The Torrin is rushed into commission in the summer of 1939, as the possibility of war becomes a near-certainty. The ship's company spends a relatively quiet Christmas, but in 1940, the Torrin takes part in a naval battle off the coast of Norway in which the ship is damaged. In this action, one of the sailors runs away from his gun; another sailor mans a gun alone after his crew is killed. When the ship reaches shore, Captain Kinross noted of the 243 men in the crew, all but one performed well. "One, however, did not." Although the sailor is brought on charges, Kinross lets him off with a caution, because as Captain he should have been able to make the young sailor understand his duty and he did not. The sailor is haunted by his cowardice, particularly when a pianola plays the Flanagan and Allen song 'Run Rabbit, Run'.
The ship also takes part in the Dunkirk evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force, rescuing members of the Coldstream Guards. The Torrin is sunk off the coast of Crete in 1941. Only about 90 of the crew survive; the survivors are sent off to join other ships, leaving the Captain alone with his officers.
[edit] Historical accuracy
The story is loosely based on the exploits of Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, who commanded the destroyer HMS Kelly, sunk during the Battle of Crete. Indeed, the cap Coward wore belonged to Mountbatten.
The characters reflect British society of the time, deeply divided by class or by sex. Nevertheless, each man and woman is dedicated to doing what they must to make it through the war.
The attention to detail in the film is notable. Naval jargon, naval uniforms and naval practice are exemplary and it is exceptional that, in addition to the commissioned officers credited as naval advisers, the first naval adviser listed is a junior rating - Able Seaman T W J Lawlor. This serves to explain, perhaps, how both the wardroom and lower deck scenes, and the scripts, are so authentic.
The Royal Navy deemed Coward's film so authentic, that for the remainder of World War II, future recruits were made to watch the movie as an introduction to Navy life.
[edit] Cast notes
- John Mills's daughter, Juliet Mills, briefly appears as his character's infant child—a son.
- Daniel Massey, playing the son of Captain Kinross (Noel Coward), appeared as Noel Coward in the 1968 film Star!. Coward was Massey's godfather.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- The Great British Films, pp 63-65, Jerry Vermilye, 1978, Citadel Press, ISBN 080650661X
[edit] External links
- In Which We Serve at the Internet Movie Database
- In Which We Serve at Allmovie
- Audio Podcast: Shire Network News Tom Paine relates In Which We Serve to the present and discusses its relevance to today for the podcast Shire Network News (begins at 10 mins into the podcast).
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