Review of In Which We Serve

Introduction

The Battle of Crete during the second world war will be remembered for many things, but to the the crew of the HMS Torrin, it will always be the time when they lost their ship, their home.

Directed by Noel Coward and David Lean (this was his first big feature) it follows the story of the HMS Torrin from her birth in the shipyard to her death in the Mediterranean.

The story is told through the eys of the survivors of a Luftwaffe attack as they cling to not only life rafts, but also their lives.

An all star cast that includes John Mills, Bernard Miles, Celia Johnson, Kay Walsh and Joyce Carey. All headed by Noel Coward in a starring performance as theCaptain of HMS Torrin.

Video

This film was released in 1942, the height of the Second World War. Materials were short and film stock was obviously an item that some would rather see being used more directly towards the war effort.

However, propaganda films such as these were produced in number to cheer the home front. Hence, quality wasn`t as the top of the film makers priority list, somewhere below speed of release and `Jerry Whacking` drama.

The image is a 4:3 full frame that is showing the march of time. It is grainy and there is quite a bit of noise and dirt on the print. Saying that, the black and white image has great depth and really does put across the power of the situation the crew find themselves in.

Audio

English mono is the only soundtrak option and continues with the `don`t mess with anything, put it out as is` ethos of this disc and others in the Carlton Collection.

Although only mono, it is quite good and Noel Cowards voice is pure Home Counties whatever audio format you listen to it in.

Features

The menus are interactive and are actually very well done. they are animated with a scene from the film and are scored with some of the incidental music.

Don`t be fooled by the trailer option though, it is a trailer for other films in the Carlton Collection, not a theatrical trailer for the film itself.

Conclusion

For 10 quid or less you can`t go wrong in my opinion. Alright, it`s a pure propaganda film with a happy ending for the Brits, but you have to take into acccount the social climate of the times.

Noel Coward is superb. His stiff upper lip could have been used to stitch the hull back together gain. He is ramrod straight at every opportunity and is the quintessential British officer, even when a young sailor boy leaves his post. (A VERY young Dickie Attenborough) Hard but fair young man. When told on the ships last morning by one of his junior officers that he had received a calendar with a similar sky, Cowards response is superb. "Does yours include a squadron of Dorniers in the top right corner? I though not."


Shot in a documentary style it not only tells the story of the ship but also the personal lives and tribulations of the crew from the top right down to the bottom, which is probably why Leans first attempt at a full feature gained such admiration from his contemparies for this effort.

Excellent.