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ACTOR
John WayneLana TurnerDavid FarrarLyle Bettger
DIRECTOR
John Farrow
SYNOPSICS
The Sea Chase (1955) is a English movie. John Farrow has directed this movie. John Wayne,Lana Turner,David Farrar,Lyle Bettger are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1955. The Sea Chase (1955) is considered one of the best Action,Drama,War movie in India and around the world.
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The Sea Chase (1955) Reviews
"Auf Wiedersehen, Sidney"
No, John Wayne and his crew don't speak German, but what do you expect of a film from this era? In Ben-Hur the Romans speak with British accents and the Jews speak with American accents. The same line of reasoning applies here. The English have British accents and the Germans have American accents. Accept it and move on. Once one can get past the accent issue, this is really quite a good film. All of the credit in the world goes to John Wayne for making this film. Made in the mid-50's, just ten years after the end of World War II, I would imagine it was not very popular subject matter at the time. It is one of the few Hollywood films to try to show the Second World War from the German point of view. Karl Ehrlich (Wayne) is a man torn between his love for his country and his personal hatred for the ideals of Hitler. He is an officer of the old school Prussian monarchy still loyal to the Kaiser who does not like the new regime. As Jeff Napier (David Farrar) notices, he flies the swastika outside on his ship but still has the old imperial battle flag hanging in his cabin. He must decide whether to allow his ship to be taken or defy the entire British Navy and try to bring the Ergenstrasse back safely to the Fatherland. The flag he flies during the final battle is a telling sign of where his loyalty lies and (in my opinion) is Ehrlich's explanation for his actions. An interesting, intriguing, and thought-provoking war film.
As a naval melodrama, the film is good entertainment!
The film's plot, as the titles points out, used one of the most powerful standby of a motion picture medium - the chase... Wayne plays an anti-Nazi German sea captain, opposed to the new regime, but as a loyal citizen he feels he must save his ship from destruction... At the outbreak of World War II, just before news reaches Australia that the Nazi armies have moved into Poland, Wayne slips his steamer a rusty old 5,000-ton freighter named the Ergenstrasse - out of Sydney harbor back to Valparaiso... To his bad luck, a British warship (The H.M.S. Rockhampton) sails in his pursuit... From that foggy night, it takes all of Wayne's ability to keep the ship from falling into the hands of the British... Adding to his problems are both the Ergenstrasse's shortage of fuel and provisions, and the presence of a mysterious lady, a beautiful German spy (Lana Turner) with an unseemly past who had been forced to take along by official orders... With a look suggesting intimacy, wearing a terrific white gown and a mink coat to lie back upon, and holding an elegant cigarette case and displaying a bracelet of diamonds, this consummate blonde, was once Wayne's mistress, and is now engaged to David Farrar, who just happens to be in command of the pursuing Rockhampton... While the Ergenstrasse is being amply provisioned in Auckland island, Lyle Bettger, its ruthless chief officer, callously murders a group of shipwrecked fishermen, thereby causing dishonor on Wayne and his crew... Eventually, the ship arrives at Pom Pom Galli (an island in the South Pacific Ocean) where is completely refueled, and sets sail for home... But the commander of Rockhampton, still in pursuit, learns of the massacred fishermen and determines, more than ever, to sink the German freighter... In addition to its bizarre ending that left much to be desired, the film offers a storm at sea, an attack by sharks, a suicide and a near mutiny... Wayne plays the courageous captain in his mild resolute way... Lana's performance is on a par with Wayne, handling the part with facile authority... As a naval melodrama 'The Sea Chase' is good entertainment...
No Sparks between Luscious Lana and Stoic Duke on the High Seas
John Wayne as the captain of a German ship during the early days of World War II? The same John Wayne who rode tall in the saddle, saved a doomed airliner, and led the Green Berets? All right, he does not support German policies, but, nevertheless, casting Wayne in the part of Captain Karl Ehrlich was a bizarre choice. The Duke does not even attempt a German accent, and he actually mispronounces the only German words that he utters, "Auf Wiedersehn." Perhaps the lure of starring opposite the luscious, if decidedly petite next to Wayne, Lana Turner was reason enough to ignore the mediocre script and listless direction by John Farrow. Whatever Wayne's motives for appearing in "The Sea Chase," he plays John Wayne relatively well and outmaneuvers the pursuing British in the grand heroic style he pioneered. Of course, why the audience should be pulling for the Germans to escape the British during World War II is a moral dilemma with which to wrestle. However, somewhat akin to "Das Boot," only one dastardly German serves among the otherwise apolitical crew, and a Nazi flag only appears once and briefly. As Ehrlich, Wayne sails from Sydney just after hostilities begin in Europe, and, with a British ship in pursuit, which is captained by an officer that Wayne managed to insult over a woman, the glowing Ms. Turner, Wayne maneuvers his ship through the South Pacific towards safety in Valparaiso. Just before leaving Sydney, the German counsel tells Captain Ehrlich that he will be carrying a passenger, a spy who also seeks refuge in Valparaiso. Of course, the increasingly stunning Lana Turner is the passenger, who has managed to escape Sydney with only one bag. And what a bag that must have been, because, throughout the voyage, she has endless changes from one glamorous costume to another. Her makeup is never less than perfect, and the hairspray alone to keep her immaculately coiffed must have weighed a ton. How she maintained the perfection of her platinum blonde hair without a dye specialist on board remains a mystery. Of course, "The Sea Chase" is pure Hollywood hokum, and such questions of logic should never be asked. Unfortunately for the film and perhaps for Wayne, there appears to be little chemistry between the Duke and Turner. In the one kissing scene, Wayne seems to be biting Turner's jugular while holding his breath rather than exuding any passion. Turner does not turn up the heat either. In spite of her famous looks and figure, Lana exudes a chill towards most of the men in the film, although she tempts the sex-starved crew with tightly filled sweaters from her private deck. The decidedly non-Teutonic actors in the supposedly German crew include such familiar faces as James Arness, Tab Hunter, Claude Akins, Paul Fix, and Alan Hale, and each is decidedly superior to the lines they are forced to recite. Although the film is a supposedly a chase, there is a shortage of action, and the film plods along with little suspense other than that provided by Turner's wardrobe changes. John Wayne fans likely will want to see "The Sea Chase," if only for the curiosity value. Others perhaps should steer clear unless it is a particularly rainy day with absolutely nothing else but reruns of "My Mother the Car" on the tube.
I recommend those who are interested in naval warfare to see this film.
This film is purely for entertainment and not of any historical background. Still, navy/sea warfare buffs will enjoy the story of the pursuit by a British destroyer of a German merchant ship across several oceans. The cast is so-so but with the "Duke" (John Wayne) in the lead role the story manages to limp along with some degree of success. The "destroyer" used in the film is in fact HMCS New Glasgow, a frigate then in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. I saw the movie shortly after it's release in 1955 while in my mid-teens; a number of years later I served on New Glasgow and recalled the part played by the ship and crew in the film. Shows how Hollywood will use any "prop" available to fill in scenes. The crew never did get any extra pay for their appearance (nor did the ship)but at least they have the satisfaction of knowing the true identity of the "destroyer." Despite all the above the film is good viewing and will be of interest to many.
A German sea captain must out fox Allied warships.
A very strange cast; very confusing story line; but a very good fox chasing the hound on the war time seas. John Wayne is a disgruntled German freighter captain that only wants to get his ship to safe port at the beginning of World War II. Not believing the ideals of Hitler, Wayne and his volunteer sailors set course for Norway. Pretending allegiance to Germany, Wayne must transport a beautiful spy(Lana Turner)to safety. The freighter must out run a determined British Commander(David Farrar)who has personal reasons to catch Wayne and his special cargo. Diverse supporting cast includes: Lyle Bettger, James Arness, Tab Hunter and John Qualen. Action movies on the bounding sea always fascinate me. This is fun movie to watch.