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TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon January 1, 2009
May, 1941: Great Britain stands alone resisting the march of Nazi Germany. France has fallen, Rommel's Afrika Corps is hounding the British Eighth Army in North Africa, and the British are losing the battle for Crete. German submarines and surface raiders are cutting Britain's vital supply lines across the North Atlantic. At this particularly bad moment, the new German battleship Bismarck leaves Germany to attack convoys in the North Atlantic.
1960's "Sink The Bismarck" is a screen adaptation of C.S. Forester's novel of the same name, itself a dramatization of the actual pursuit of the Bismarck by the British Royal Navy. If a few historic details get slighted, the suspense more than makes up for it, as the Bismarck escapes into the North Atlantic, then annihilates a pursuing British battleship.
The center of the drama is the Admiralty Operations Room in London, where the hard-nosed Operations Chief, one Captain Shepard (Kenneth More), moves ships to confront the Bismarck and makes some shrewd guesses as to her route and intentions. He is assisted by a smart young WREN Officer, Anne Davis (the attractive Dana Wynter). Shepard has been traumatized almost into emotional numbness by the loss of his ship at sea and a wife to the Blitz, while his son goes missing in action during the pursuit of the Bismarck. The sensitive Davis will help revive his sense of humanity, providing an emotional core to the dramatic action at sea.
In 1960, special effects were fairly limited, but the movie skillfully weaves in actual combat footage to provide a vivid impression of the exchanges of naval gunfire and the horror of damaged and sinking ships. Especially astonishing is footage of British carrier pilots attacking the Bismarck in obsolete, open-cockpit Swordfish biplanes.
"Sink The Bismarck" is highly recommended as an excellent and entertaining example of a whole genre of World War II films turned out in the 1960's, as that war was still in living memory.
1960's "Sink The Bismarck" is a screen adaptation of C.S. Forester's novel of the same name, itself a dramatization of the actual pursuit of the Bismarck by the British Royal Navy. If a few historic details get slighted, the suspense more than makes up for it, as the Bismarck escapes into the North Atlantic, then annihilates a pursuing British battleship.
The center of the drama is the Admiralty Operations Room in London, where the hard-nosed Operations Chief, one Captain Shepard (Kenneth More), moves ships to confront the Bismarck and makes some shrewd guesses as to her route and intentions. He is assisted by a smart young WREN Officer, Anne Davis (the attractive Dana Wynter). Shepard has been traumatized almost into emotional numbness by the loss of his ship at sea and a wife to the Blitz, while his son goes missing in action during the pursuit of the Bismarck. The sensitive Davis will help revive his sense of humanity, providing an emotional core to the dramatic action at sea.
In 1960, special effects were fairly limited, but the movie skillfully weaves in actual combat footage to provide a vivid impression of the exchanges of naval gunfire and the horror of damaged and sinking ships. Especially astonishing is footage of British carrier pilots attacking the Bismarck in obsolete, open-cockpit Swordfish biplanes.
"Sink The Bismarck" is highly recommended as an excellent and entertaining example of a whole genre of World War II films turned out in the 1960's, as that war was still in living memory.
on March 22, 2000
Honorable Men in Desperate Battle
In May 1941, Britain stood alone against Nazi tyranny. The German blitz had devastated much of the English industrial base. The lifeline to America across the North Atlantic was critical to England's survival. In an effort to cut this lifeline, Hitler built the Bismarck, the fastest and most powerful battleship the world had ever seen. "Sink the Bismarck" is the story of a desperate 6-day naval engagement to find and destroy the German battleship. The British initially dispatched the pride of the Royal Navy, the H.M.S. Hood, to intercept the Bismarck. A single shell from the Bismarck penetrated a magazine on the Hood, instantly destroying the British ship.
The film depicts the subsequent efforts of the Royal Navy to locate and attack the Bismarck with overwhelming fire power. As often happens in war, the most unpredictable bad luck was counterbalanced by miraculous good fortune. The film evokes the grim resolution, the desperate gambles, and the professional skills of the British command to bring the Bismarck to bay. Kenneth More is well-cast in the role of Captain Jonathan Shepard, a man who conveys both iron will to duty, yet vulnerability to personal human loss in his pursuit of the Bismarck. The film teems with excitement and suspense as it records one of the great naval battles ever fought.
In May 1941, Britain stood alone against Nazi tyranny. The German blitz had devastated much of the English industrial base. The lifeline to America across the North Atlantic was critical to England's survival. In an effort to cut this lifeline, Hitler built the Bismarck, the fastest and most powerful battleship the world had ever seen. "Sink the Bismarck" is the story of a desperate 6-day naval engagement to find and destroy the German battleship. The British initially dispatched the pride of the Royal Navy, the H.M.S. Hood, to intercept the Bismarck. A single shell from the Bismarck penetrated a magazine on the Hood, instantly destroying the British ship.
The film depicts the subsequent efforts of the Royal Navy to locate and attack the Bismarck with overwhelming fire power. As often happens in war, the most unpredictable bad luck was counterbalanced by miraculous good fortune. The film evokes the grim resolution, the desperate gambles, and the professional skills of the British command to bring the Bismarck to bay. Kenneth More is well-cast in the role of Captain Jonathan Shepard, a man who conveys both iron will to duty, yet vulnerability to personal human loss in his pursuit of the Bismarck. The film teems with excitement and suspense as it records one of the great naval battles ever fought.
on March 20, 2017
Very fine black and white war movie! Historically accurate! Also fine acting by all players!
on March 11, 2017
Very good movie about WWIi they followed the actual events pretty true to recorded history.
on September 4, 2017
I love old movies like this one. Great movie. Watch it a lot. The ending never changes.
on June 15, 2003
I'm not entirely sure why I like this movie so very much, but I have loved it from the very first time I saw it more than 20 years ago and still watch it often. It is a dramatization of the true story of the short-lived first cruise of the German battleship "Bismarck", of the destruction it wrought and of the hunt to find and ultimately destroy it. Yes, there are some inaccuracies in the details of which ships took part in the hunt, as well as in the portrayal of German Admiral Gunther Lutjens, but the fact that this is a British movie, made while the scars of war were still a strongly living memory, should be borne in mind in this regard.
Among the things that make it worth viewing are: the presence of Edward R. Morrow recreating the atmosphere of his wartime London radio reports, the recreation of the Naval command center underneath the Admiralty building and the highly believable performance of Kenneth More (himself a wartime naval officer) as the deeply wounded Captain Shepherd. Dana Wynter also gives a delicately nuanced performance as Second Officer Anne Davis. The moment when she enters Shepherd's office and realizes that he is crying is beautifully done.
The highly restrained romantic undercurrent doesn't interfere with the main story line and is very believable for wartime professionals. One comes away from this movie knowing that a great menace to the eventual survival of Britain has been eliminated and that there may be hope for both the UK and for two lonely people.
The inclusion in the new DVD of some newreel footage of the actual event is a nice little bonus. The subject of the hunt for and destruction of the "Bismarck" has also recently been the subject of some recent documentaries. The story retains its impact, even after more than 60 years.
Among the things that make it worth viewing are: the presence of Edward R. Morrow recreating the atmosphere of his wartime London radio reports, the recreation of the Naval command center underneath the Admiralty building and the highly believable performance of Kenneth More (himself a wartime naval officer) as the deeply wounded Captain Shepherd. Dana Wynter also gives a delicately nuanced performance as Second Officer Anne Davis. The moment when she enters Shepherd's office and realizes that he is crying is beautifully done.
The highly restrained romantic undercurrent doesn't interfere with the main story line and is very believable for wartime professionals. One comes away from this movie knowing that a great menace to the eventual survival of Britain has been eliminated and that there may be hope for both the UK and for two lonely people.
The inclusion in the new DVD of some newreel footage of the actual event is a nice little bonus. The subject of the hunt for and destruction of the "Bismarck" has also recently been the subject of some recent documentaries. The story retains its impact, even after more than 60 years.
on March 1, 2014
I have studied WWII and many battles. I did not know much about "Sink the Bismarck". What I have learned about the battle fit the story in the video. I believe it was historically correct.
This was a good story told in a very interesting way. I know the setting in the Navy War Room was factual. If a person likes suspense, action, and human interest stories this is the one for them.
This was a good story told in a very interesting way. I know the setting in the Navy War Room was factual. If a person likes suspense, action, and human interest stories this is the one for them.
on December 24, 2012
Yes, it may not be Gone with the Wind, but it doesn't have to be. In fact this movie shows why Kenneth More had the talent to be one of the top actors of the day. Like many films it does take some liberties with history, for instance the film shows the German Admiral as a "Proud Nazi" when in reality he was anything but and hated the nazi party. Also the one time you'll hear the Prime Ministers voice you'll giggle at just how bad an impression it is of Churchill. But all in all it is a good movie and shows the contributions made to the British war effort by the people back in a single small plot room that never got the glory or recognition the other branches did.
