The Battle of the River Plate (Pursuit of the Graf Spee) (1956)
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80% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
67% of users liked it
(755 ratings)
Widely regarded as one of the best and most intelligent British war dramas of the 1950s, The Battle of River Plate is the story of Britain's first significant naval victory in WW2. John Gregson heads the cast as Captain Bell, skipper of the Exeter, one of several vessels engaged in pursuit of… More Widely regarded as one of the best and most intelligent British war dramas of the 1950s, The Battle of River Plate is the story of Britain's first significant naval victory in WW2. John Gregson heads the cast as Captain Bell, skipper of the Exeter, one of several vessels engaged in pursuit of the "indestructable" Geman battleship Graf Spee. Taking refuge in the neutral harbor of Montevideo, the Graf Spee is covertly protected by the Uruguayan government. Eventually, however, German captain Langsdorff (Peter Finch) is faced with a difficult decision: either stand his ground and fight a losing battle against the Exeter and its sister ships, or scuttle the Graf Spee and save the lives of his crew. Battle of the River Plate was released in the US as Pursuit of the Graf Spee. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Nov 30, 1956 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Variety Staff, Variety
The battle sequences, in which the lightweight British cruisers close in on the Graf Spee and force the enemy to take shelter in Montevideo harbor, are powerful, exciting and technically impressive.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Give the British filmmakers a good, rousing subject from their own naval history and they're almost certain to come up with a picture that proudly bespeaks the courage and audacity of a hero breed.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Powell and Pressburger's final collaboration as The Archers was also, perhaps, their dullest.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Though it's mostly a waiting game, the film is tense and involving, thanks to Powell's fluid shifting of the point of view.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The film is adroitly directed by Powell and Pressburger, though the concentration is on the vessels, rather than the men aboard them.
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Cast
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John Gregson
as Capt. F.S. Bell "Exeter"
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Anthony Quayle
as Commodore Harwood
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Peter Finch
as Capt. Hans Langsdorff "Admiral Graf Spee...
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Ian Hunter
as Capt. Woodhouse "Ajax"
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Jack Gwillim
as Capt. Parry "Achilles"
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Lionel Murton
as Mike Fowler American Radio Commentator
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Bernard Lee
as Capt. Patrick Dove "Africa Shell"
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Anthony Bushell
as Mr. Millington-Drake British Minister
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Michael Goodliffe
as Capt. McCall British Naval Attache
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Patrick Macnee
as Lieutenant Commander Medley
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John Chandos
as Dr. Langmann German Minister
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Douglas Wilmer
as Mr. Desmoulins French Minister
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William Squire
as Ray Martin
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Roger Delgado
as Capt. Varela
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Andrew Cruickshank
as Capt. Stubs
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Christopher Lee
as Manola Cantina Manager
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Edward Atienza
as Pop
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April Olrich
as Dolores Cantina Singer
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David Farrar
as Narrator
- Barry Foster
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Peter Illing
as Dr. Guani Uruguayan Foreign Minister
- Edward Judd
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John Le Mesurier
as Chaplain "Exeter"
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Maria Mercedes
as Madame X
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John Merivale
as Pilot "Achilles" Bridge
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Nigel Stock
as British Officer aboard Graf spee
- Brian Worth
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Anthony Newley
as British Officer aboard Graf spee
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John Schlesinger
as German Officer
