Sea, sea... Did you know that in English all ships are called female? Why this happened is unclear, there are many explanations offered, choose any. But here's the fact - severe destroyers English sailors call "she".
After watching the movie Greyhound with Tom Hanks, I wanted to see something more about the subject of submarines and destroyers during World War II.
I watched the German boat (Das Boot).
There was another movie that a lot of people recommended: Cruel Sea. This is a 1953 British film. Here we are already looking at war through the eyes of British sailors.
In total, we have three versions:
- Greyhound - American
- "Boat" - German
"Cruel Sea" - British
The good thing about Greyhound is that it’s made like a blockbuster. He is far from real life, but fulfills the main goal - to awaken interest in the Battle of the Atlantic. I have repeatedly come across the opinion that Tom Hanks did nonsense, but “Boat” and “Cruel Sea” are worthy films. I looked at all three and disagreed.
I liked all the films, but they are too different to oppose and, moreover, complement each other perfectly.
In the Boat, for example, there is a scene where German submariners sit squeezing and shaking, listening to depth bombs burst around. And in "Cruel Sea" explains the principle of the radar, which so cinematically operated Tom Hanks. And it also becomes clear why the submariners, hearing this sound, panicked. Finding himself on sonar - the boat lost all the advantages and even though it was under water, but in fact was cornered.
"Cruel Sea" is the most difficult film to perceive, although it is technically good for those years. It was removed only 7 years after the end of the war and it is black and white.
The 50s are the era of large-scale war films. Not surprisingly, cinema began to recover from the chaos, and the topic of recent events many worried.
Time in the film stretches slowly, we show a lot of sailors, their life, conversations of the crew. "Cruel Sea" at times begins to resemble documentary, so slowly the narrative. If in Greyhound it was one day, then the days drag on each other and the viewer can see how much time the crew spends on a routine. The way Tom Hanks deftly knocked four U-boats one after the other would have made the crew of the Cruel Sea destroyer laugh.
By the way, in the Greyhound and the Cruel Sea, the crew members say to each other, "Aye aye sir," when ordered. This means that the team is accepted and will be executed.
Verdict: A good movie, but it’s best watched only by those who are really interested in the subject. If you’re looking for an entertaining movie for the evening, watch Greyhound.