A straightforward WW2 naval battle flick, designed to show the courage and mettle of British officers in their battle against overwhelming Nazi firepower. THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE tells the true story of the German warship the Graf Spee, which proved invincible when up against Allied vessels until a bit of trickery and sheer determination saw it finally meet its match in the form of not one, not two, but three British ships off the coast of Uruguay.
The film has the distinction of being filmed by Powell and Pressburger, two of the most famous directors in history, and thus it looks fantastic: colourful, full-blooded, with expert attention to detail and battle scenes that really look like the real thing. It's in the cast that this really excels, though; the production team have assembled one of the greatest all-star casts ever, and thus the film is dominated by strong performances from the likes of John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Michael Goodliffe, Bernard Lee, and many more besides. There are even smaller parts for future greats like John Le Mesurier, Christopher Lee, and Patrick Macnee.
The film has the distinction of being filmed by Powell and Pressburger, two of the most famous directors in history, and thus it looks fantastic: colourful, full-blooded, with expert attention to detail and battle scenes that really look like the real thing. It's in the cast that this really excels, though; the production team have assembled one of the greatest all-star casts ever, and thus the film is dominated by strong performances from the likes of John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch, Michael Goodliffe, Bernard Lee, and many more besides. There are even smaller parts for future greats like John Le Mesurier, Christopher Lee, and Patrick Macnee.