Michael Anderson and Richard Todd attempted to repeat the success of
The Dam Busters with another real-life war story, only this time the war wasn't really a war, more a skirmish: China 1949 when a British ship was fired on by the commies then attempted to break out. It's a marvellous tale, a real old-fashioned British Empire naval story. Too old fashioned for the public as it turned out - they didn't really go for the movie. Maybe they were turned off by the oddness of the situation (e.g. what were the British doing there anyway?), British audiences prefer their villains to be Germans rather than oriental commies (esp with such a variety of nationalities playing them - including Akim Tamiroff in make up). Also the final break for freedom isn't as exciting as the dam busters raid - I'm sure it was terrifying in real life but here it's basically just a boat going along a river, with a few people taking pot shots. It only takes up the last bit of the film too.
Most of the action consists of the initial attack and the political manoeuvring leading up to the break out. This feels realistic and is engrossing (Eric Ambler wrote the script): Todd's character wasn't the first captain, he was flown out after the captain was killed; sailors flee for the bank or toil underneath; local officers make demands on the British, who try to get negotiations without losing face. And the novelty of the setting gave it points for me. It's all done in a very no-nonsense British style. Knowing how much the Poms love cats I was surprised Simon the cat, who famously was on board the ship killing rats and getting wounded, didn't get a bigger role. Maybe it was too hard.
Produced by Herbert Wilcox and Anna Neagle! (Presumably Wilcox didn't want to direct because there's no role for Anna.)
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