Great Seafaring Movies

Three movies made during the 1950s deserve to be included in any list of seafaring movies. All were based on critically acclaimed novels and starred major actors. They are:

The Cruel Sea (1953) starring Jack Hawkins

An unflinching realistic account of the Royal Navy’s arduous and relentless battle of the Atlantic. Jack Hawkins gives one of his finest performances as the commander who must fight the U-boat and the North Atlantic. In one unforgettable scene, he must decide whether to depth charge a suspected submarine even though British survivors foating on the surface will be killed by the concussion.

The Wreck of The Mary Deare (1959) Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston    

Even though Charlton Heston had just finished Ben Hur, he still had to play second fiddle to Gary Cooper in this intense mystery about the attempt to salvage a “derelict freighter’ in the English Channel. A unique sea and legal drama featuring two of the most powerful actors in motion picture history.

Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster and Jack Warden

A tense World War II submarine drama. The sub scenes are exceptional and Gable and Lancaster perform brilliantly as antagonists. This film is a realistic presentation of submarine warfare and the sailors of the Silent Service   

By Professional Mariner Staff