In Which We Serve

This is a marvellous film about the crew of Royal Naval Destroyer HMS Torrin, from her initial construction to her sinking during the night-time battle with the Germans in the Battle of Crete during WW II. The destroyer comes under aerial attack from German bombers, and the destroyer receives a critical hit. The crew rapidly abandon ship as it capsizes. Some of the officers and crew manage to find a float on which the survivors are strafed by passing German planes. Captain Kinross (Noel Coward) recalls the summer of 1939 when the naval destroyer HMS Torrin is being rushed into commission as war becomes a near certainty. As the officers and crew members drift dangerously in the water, they begin to recall their own memories. As the film concludes: bigger and stronger ships are being launched to avenge the Torrin, and Captain Kinross is now in command of a battleship whose massive main guns fire against the enemy. Noel Coward received a special Oscar for his "outstanding production achievement," having scripted, scored, starred and co-directed with David Lean. The film is unusual for a wartime production as it explores human relationships in the context of the harsh reality of war. A magnificent WWII movie told with emotion and depth. Truly memorable! (110 minutes - 1942 - Black & White - 4:3).