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Gift Horse (film)

March 03, 2023

Gift Horse (released in the United States as Glory at Sea) is a 1952 British black-and-white World War II drama film. It was produced by George Pitcher, directed by Compton Bennett, and stars Trevor Howard, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, and Sonny Tufts.

Gift Horse
UK DVD cover
Directed byCompton Bennett
Written byWilliam Fairchild
Hugh Hastings
William Rose
Produced byGeorge Pitcher
StarringTrevor Howard
Richard Attenborough
James Donald
Sonny Tufts
CinematographyHarry Waxman
Edited byAlan Osbiston
Music byClifton Parker
Production
company
Molton Films
Distributed byIndependent Film Distributors (UK)
Release date
  • 16 July 1952 (1952-07-16) (UK)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The film follows the story of the fictional ship HMS Ballantrae and her crew from the time they come together in 1940 until they go on a one-way mission to destroy a German-held dry dock in France. The title is a reference to the old proverb "Never look a gift horse in the mouth".

Plot

In the Second World War, the Royal Navy is desperately short of personnel. Court-martialed eight years before, Lieutenant Commander Fraser is brought out of retirement and put in command of the antiquated "four pipe" First World War-vintage ship HMS Ballantrae, formerly USS Whittier, one of the Town-class destroyers from the destroyers-for-bases deal. On her first mission, convoy escort duty, Ballantrae suffers a burst steam pipe and has to be left behind while repairs are effected.

Fraser's officers and crew resent his efforts to whip them into shape, but he eventually molds them into an efficient fighting force, prior to being sent on Operation Boadicea, a daring suicide mission against a Nazi submarine base on the coast of France. (The latter part of the film is clearly based on HMS Campbeltown and the St Nazaire Raid.[1])

Cast

Production

The real-life ship used in the film was HMS Leamington. Built in 1919 as the USS Twiggs, a Wickes-class destroyer, she was one of the last post-war survivors of the 50 elderly four-funnelled destroyers provided in 1940 by the USA as part of the "Destroyers for Bases Agreement": (also known as "The Fifty Ships that Saved the World"). She served on convoy duties, including as an escort for the ill-fated Convoy PQ 17. In 1943 she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Leamington. After a short period in reserve in 1944, she was one of seven sisters transferred to the Soviet Navy, and there became the Zguchij ("Firebrand"). Returned to the Royal Navy in 1950, the ship was listed for disposal in 1951, but before being broken up she was hired for the Gift Horse film. For the final scenes of the film, based on her sister-ship Campbeltown's daring St Nazaire Raid, her four funnels were reduced to two, and cut down at an angle to resemble the funnels of a German torpedo boat, just as Campbeltown's had been. She was finally broken up in December 1951.[2]

It was shot at Isleworth Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Edward Carrick

Reception

The film performed poorly at the US box office, like most British war movies of this era.[3]

References

  1. ^ The Greatest Raid of All Time: The attack on St. Nazaire [BBC - 2007]
  2. ^ "HMS Leamington (G 19)". uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  3. ^ "British War Themes Disappoint". Variety. 8 August 1956. p. 7.

External links

March 03, 2023
gift, horse, film, gift, horse, released, united, states, glory, 1952, british, black, white, world, drama, film, produced, george, pitcher, directed, compton, bennett, stars, trevor, howard, richard, attenborough, james, donald, sonny, tufts, gift, horseuk, c. Gift Horse released in the United States as Glory at Sea is a 1952 British black and white World War II drama film It was produced by George Pitcher directed by Compton Bennett and stars Trevor Howard Richard Attenborough James Donald and Sonny Tufts Gift HorseUK DVD coverDirected byCompton BennettWritten byWilliam FairchildHugh HastingsWilliam RoseProduced byGeorge PitcherStarringTrevor HowardRichard AttenboroughJames DonaldSonny TuftsCinematographyHarry WaxmanEdited byAlan OsbistonMusic byClifton ParkerProductioncompanyMolton FilmsDistributed byIndependent Film Distributors UK Release date16 July 1952 1952 07 16 UK Running time100 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishThe film follows the story of the fictional ship HMS Ballantrae and her crew from the time they come together in 1940 until they go on a one way mission to destroy a German held dry dock in France The title is a reference to the old proverb Never look a gift horse in the mouth Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Reception 5 References 6 External linksPlot EditIn the Second World War the Royal Navy is desperately short of personnel Court martialed eight years before Lieutenant Commander Fraser is brought out of retirement and put in command of the antiquated four pipe First World War vintage ship HMS Ballantrae formerly USS Whittier one of the Town class destroyers from the destroyers for bases deal On her first mission convoy escort duty Ballantrae suffers a burst steam pipe and has to be left behind while repairs are effected Fraser s officers and crew resent his efforts to whip them into shape but he eventually molds them into an efficient fighting force prior to being sent on Operation Boadicea a daring suicide mission against a Nazi submarine base on the coast of France The latter part of the film is clearly based on HMS Campbeltown and the St Nazaire Raid 1 Cast EditTrevor Howard as Lieutenant Commander Hugh Algernon Fraser Richard Attenborough as Dripper Daniels James Donald as Lieutenant Richard Jennings Sonny Tufts as Yank Flanagan Bernard Lee as Able Seaman Stripey Wood Dora Bryan as Gladys Flanagan Hugh Williams as Captain David G Wilson Division Commander Robin Bailey as Lieutenant Michael Grant ship s pilot Meredith Edwards as Jones Chief Engineer John Forrest as Appleby Patric Doonan as Petty Officer Martin Sid James as Ned Hardy owner of Golden Bull public house Tony Quinn as McConalog James Kenney as John A Fraser Hugh s son George Street as Court Member Hugh Hastings as Crewman James Carney as Bone Harold Siddons as Adm Bartlett Harold Ayer as Lt Cmdr Carson Charles Lloyd Pack as Member of Board of Inquiry as Charles Lloyd Pack Peter Bathurst as Member of Board of Inquiry William Russell as Crewman as Russell Enoch Anthony Oliver as Ship s Officer Guns Joan Rice as June Mallory WRNS cypher officer Glyn Houston as Morgan Engine Room Artificer uncredited Production EditThe real life ship used in the film was HMS Leamington Built in 1919 as the USS Twiggs a Wickes class destroyer she was one of the last post war survivors of the 50 elderly four funnelled destroyers provided in 1940 by the USA as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement also known as The Fifty Ships that Saved the World She served on convoy duties including as an escort for the ill fated Convoy PQ 17 In 1943 she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Leamington After a short period in reserve in 1944 she was one of seven sisters transferred to the Soviet Navy and there became the Zguchij Firebrand Returned to the Royal Navy in 1950 the ship was listed for disposal in 1951 but before being broken up she was hired for the Gift Horse film For the final scenes of the film based on her sister ship Campbeltown s daring St Nazaire Raid her four funnels were reduced to two and cut down at an angle to resemble the funnels of a German torpedo boat just as Campbeltown s had been She was finally broken up in December 1951 2 It was shot at Isleworth Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Edward CarrickReception EditThe film performed poorly at the US box office like most British war movies of this era 3 References Edit The Greatest Raid of All Time The attack on St Nazaire BBC 2007 HMS Leamington G 19 uboat net Retrieved 13 January 2011 British War Themes Disappoint Variety 8 August 1956 p 7 External links EditGift Horse at the British Film Institute Gift Horse at IMDb Review of film at Variety Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gift Horse film amp oldid 1108309687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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