I first saw "Away All Boats" during the 1950's when I was about 10 years old.
It had similarities with one of my all-time favourites, "Mister Roberts", which was released about the same time. Both films portrayed men and ships in a behind-the-scenes role during the war in the Pacific. But the thespian firepower of actors such as Jeff Chandler, George Nader and Lex Barker hardly raised a flicker when compared to Henry Fonda, William Powell and Jack Lemon in "Mister Roberts" whose performances, along with an inspired script, helped make that film such an emotional rollercoaster.
However the loneliness of command emerged as a key theme in "Away All Boats".
It's the story of the Belinda, an Attack Transport carrying troops to the beachhead during the Pacific War and landing them in landing craft. Like Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) in "Mister Roberts, the commander of the Belinda, Captain Jebediah Hawks (Jeff Chandler) yearns for an assignment aboard a frontline fighting ship. In fact most of the characters seem to want to be doing something else - in the beginning anyway.
Maybe Jeff Chandler's stiff persona suited the character of the Captain who is aloof and awkward with his officers and crew.
George Nader always played serious, but he was a very ripped-looking guy back in the day when actors didn't necessarily have personal trainers or bench press at the gym. Nader played Lieutenant Dave MacDougall, the sort of officer that was best described in "The Caine Mutiny" as, "...the fireball, the guy who gets things done; there's one on every ship".
Although the special effects can't compete with a film such as 2019's "Midway", they still give the eerie sensation of blazing kamikazes heading straight for us as the Belinda takes part in the Battle of Okinawa, surely one of the most terrifying battles ever.
The movie was made in an era when film companies could photograph the army and marines on manoeuvre - unfortunately between wars as it turned out. Real ships that had served in WW2 also gave the film a look of authenticity that contrasted with the flatness of scenes shot in the studio
If it does anything, "Away All Boats" gives an insight into how the US Navy trained that vast force of mainly inexperienced men to perfect those epic amphibious landings in the Pacific.
It had similarities with one of my all-time favourites, "Mister Roberts", which was released about the same time. Both films portrayed men and ships in a behind-the-scenes role during the war in the Pacific. But the thespian firepower of actors such as Jeff Chandler, George Nader and Lex Barker hardly raised a flicker when compared to Henry Fonda, William Powell and Jack Lemon in "Mister Roberts" whose performances, along with an inspired script, helped make that film such an emotional rollercoaster.
However the loneliness of command emerged as a key theme in "Away All Boats".
It's the story of the Belinda, an Attack Transport carrying troops to the beachhead during the Pacific War and landing them in landing craft. Like Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) in "Mister Roberts, the commander of the Belinda, Captain Jebediah Hawks (Jeff Chandler) yearns for an assignment aboard a frontline fighting ship. In fact most of the characters seem to want to be doing something else - in the beginning anyway.
Maybe Jeff Chandler's stiff persona suited the character of the Captain who is aloof and awkward with his officers and crew.
George Nader always played serious, but he was a very ripped-looking guy back in the day when actors didn't necessarily have personal trainers or bench press at the gym. Nader played Lieutenant Dave MacDougall, the sort of officer that was best described in "The Caine Mutiny" as, "...the fireball, the guy who gets things done; there's one on every ship".
Although the special effects can't compete with a film such as 2019's "Midway", they still give the eerie sensation of blazing kamikazes heading straight for us as the Belinda takes part in the Battle of Okinawa, surely one of the most terrifying battles ever.
The movie was made in an era when film companies could photograph the army and marines on manoeuvre - unfortunately between wars as it turned out. Real ships that had served in WW2 also gave the film a look of authenticity that contrasted with the flatness of scenes shot in the studio
If it does anything, "Away All Boats" gives an insight into how the US Navy trained that vast force of mainly inexperienced men to perfect those epic amphibious landings in the Pacific.