In Which We Serve

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Finn S Apr 24, 2018 Entertaining WWII propaganda piece that shows the Brits keeping a stiff upper lip as they fight the Germans at sea. Noel Coward wrote and co-directed (with first time director David Lean) this gritty look at the crew of the destroyer H. M. S. Torrin as they ship out, fight numerous battles, and eventually get sunk. The title correctly tells viewers that the film is really about the ship (her birth, life, and death) and the sailors who serve in her do give a large number of speeches about her worthiness. Much of the story is told in flashback, as the first scenes we see are the bombing of the ship and the "abandon ship" decree from Captain D. (played by Coward himself). The cast cling to a lifeboat as the camera shows their faces in turn and cuts to their lives just before shipping out, showing the people whom they love (and for whom they are fighting the war). The action sequences feature real wartime footage and ships, along with studio work. John Mills plays a key role, as does Bernard Miles, and there is a good bit part for Richard Attenborough. Celia Johnson is strong support as Coward's wife. With ANZAC Day tomorrow, it seems important to remember the sacrifices that some made and to hope that they won't be needed again. See more

Luke M Nov 1, 2017 In Which We Serve opens with a voiceover that tells you it is a story of a ship. It was indeed a story of this battleship that participated in World War II, but when you focus a story on an inanimate object it lacks some heart. They tried to tap into emotion by using flashbacks to introduce us to the crew, but I never connected with any of them. The storytelling was so jumbled and incoherent that I never found myself engaged in any way by the movie. It has the natural benefit of telling the story of soldiers fighting against Nazis, so of course I want to see them succeed and survive. The problem is, there are so many movies that already touch on this same topic that it’s almost become white noise to me and they have to do something truly remarkable to stand out. The majority of the film is also told through flashback, which sucks some of the drama out of it since we know where everything will end. In Which We Serve is not a bad film in any way, it simply isn’t special or unique. I imagine I will completely forget about it in a matter of days. See more

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In Which We Serve

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