Review of The Cruel Sea (1953) by Scott G — 23 Aug 2011

A masterpiece of its time which stands the tests of time, The Cruel Sea is primarily a memorial to the merchant mariners who gave their lives in war. That the sea should remain the cruellest enemy, even juxtaposed with the cruellest of sailors, the U-boatmen, is perhaps a surprising (and not uncontroversial) point of view.

Perhaps it's a record of a very particular point in history, when the need to forget the extremes which caused the 2nd World War was being promoted in an early prototype of Truth & Reconciliation.

The documentary record of the realities of sailing in small ships, of the social conflicts, greed and injustice which the War imposed, is perhaps 'dated' but should be admired. Most importantly, the film sparked many great acting careers.