The Ship That Died of Shame (1955)

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

Basil Dearden (writer)
Nicholas Monsarrat (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

30 January 1956 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Adventure on the high seas!

Plot:

A trio of ex-servicemen begin smuggling innocuous black market items into post-war Britain but through greed they graduate to more sinister cargo.

Plot Keywords:

1940s | Veteran | Shipwreck | Mechanic | Post WWII

Cast

Richard Attenborough	...	George Hoskins
George Baker	...	Bill Randall (skipper of 1087 / narrator
Bill Owen	...	Birdie (coxswain of 1087)
Virginia McKenna	...	Helen Randall
Roland Culver	...	Maj. Fordyce
Bernard Lee	...	Customs Officer Brewster
Ralph Truman	...	Sir Richard
John Chandos	...	Raines (fugitive killer)
Harold Goodwin	...	Customs officer #2
John Longden	...	Detective
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alfie Bass	...	Sailor on 1087 (uncredited)
John Boxer	...	Customs man (uncredited)
Stratford Johns	...	Garage worker (uncredited)
David Langton	...	Man in Coastal Forces Club bar (uncredited)

Directed by
Basil Dearden

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Basil Dearden		writer
Nicholas Monsarrat		novel
Michael Relph		writer
John Whiting		writer

Produced by
Basil Dearden	....	co-producer
Michael Relph	....	producer

Original Music by
William Alwyn

Cinematography by
Gordon Dines

Film Editing by
Peter Bezencenet

Art Direction by
Bernard Robinson

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Harry Frampton	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Peers	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julian Mackintosh	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
David Butcher	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Bert Davey	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Jack Shampan	....	chief draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Arthur Bradburn	....	sound recordist
Stephen Dalby	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)
Alastair McIntyre	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Lionel Selwyn	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Gordon Stone	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Don Wortham	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Geoffrey Dickinson	....	special processes

Camera and Electrical Department
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator
Brian Elvin	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Eddie Orton	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Herbert Smith	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Fishman	....	composer: source music (uncredited)
Dock Mathieson	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Jean Graham	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Ealing Studios

Distributors

• Continental Distributing (1956) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

PT Raiders (USA)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

Ealing Studios

Trivia:

First film of David Langton.

Quotes:

Bill Randall (skipper of 1087: But don't forget I'm in this with you and Birdie.
George Hoskins: Look, let me deal with the sordid details. They're right my street. You're happy with the ship. I'll leave that to you.
Bill Randall (skipper of 1087: Okay, I'm responsible for 1087. Then I'd better know what she's expected to do.
George Hoskins: Oooh! For Pete's sake, is the ship goin' to have a say in the kinds of jobs we take on?
Bill Randall (skipper of 1087: She won't ask any questions certainly.
George Hoskins: Like the ideal woman, aay? She does what you want when you want it. If we knew the way and could set a course for Hell, she'd go!

The wreck of the old 1087

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Ten years after the end of the second world war Dearden and Relph brought to the screen this parable depicting Britain's decline since the victory over Fascism.Half a century further on the determination,courage,refusal to contemplate defeat and the unity that enabled that victory to be won live on only in the memories of people old enough to have lived through it. Today indifference,self-preservation, expedience and diversity are the words we live by. Somewhere between those two extremes the good ship 1087 self-destructed with shame at the way that the promise of the peace that had been brought about at so high a cost had gradually become more and more corrupted. The promise of Attlee's government,the Olympic Games and the Festival of Britain descended into spivvery.From being a defender of everything that was decent and right 1087 gradually turned to smuggling drugs and criminals. "The ship that died of shame" is a remarkable picture.It was made by people who loved films for an audience that was just starting to prefer an evening at home in front of the TV to a visit to the cinema. Mr Richard Attenborough,Miss Virginia Mckenna and Mr George Baker had the drawing power to fill the theatre.War films were very good box-office.It was a major success,helped no end by the fact that the original story was written by Nicholas Monsarrat,author of the hugely popular "The Cruel Sea". Mr Attenborough had a longer career in naval uniform than most real sailors.By 1955 he could stand on a heaving deck like a 20 year man. The following year he would make his naval magnum opus "The baby and the battleship" with long-time oppo Mr John Mills who must have been doing something really important not to have been cast in this. His sudden realisation of what he had become is like Alec Guinness's in "Bridge on the River Kwai". Miss McKenna with her strong English face and striking eyes exhudes honesty and dignity in every film she graces.Despite not being one of her best known performances it is one of my favourites. Mr George Baker had just about everything going for him,good looks, natural athleticism,beautiful speaking voice and an air of authority. He,too,looks at home on a ship,wearing a roll-neck pullover and smoking a "Navy Cut". This is a very taut film.By that I don't mean that it suspenseful - even though it is - but that there is no flab on it.

The scene where Mr Roland Culver as "The Major" shoots Mr.Bernard Lee could not have been bettered by Hitchcock.The influence of the Master of Suspense is apparent several times throughout the film. "The ship that died of shame" is yet another fine British film that has disappeared off the radar.It would indeed be a shame if it was allowed to die.