It’s spring 1941, and Great Britain is the only country in Europe yet to be defeated by the Nazi army, but all of that could change soon. The Nazis have launched their juggernaut battleship, the Bismarck, to close off British supply lines and ultimately invade England. A counterstrike is ordered, and with an arsenal of ships at their command, Royal intelligence officers Jonathan Shepard (Kenneth More) and Anne Davis (Dana Wynter) fight desperately to distroy the Bismarck.Sink the Bismarck! recounts one of the most famous battles in the history of naval warfare. Shot in semidocumentary style, the black-and-white film covers all sides in the famous hunt for the powerful German warship that terrorized the sea for eight days. The story and combat are rendered as faithfully as possible to C.S. Forester’s novel. There are a few historical errors and some other minor liberties taken for dramatic license, both of which the viewer will easily be able to overlook. The only major addition to historical fact is a fictional romance between leads Kenneth More and Dana Wynter, which never gets in the way of the action. Edward R. Murrow cameos, and one of the founding fathers of movie magic, Howard Lydecker, assists with the special effects. The film is a compelling wartime drama that deserves a viewing. –Mark Savary
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April 30, 2008
#1
According to Len Deighton’s book “Blood Tears and Folly” the Bismark was skuttled by having it’s seacocks opened. The battleship admirals would say that it was sunk by battleship gunfire. The Bismark was steaming in circles due to damage from aircraft launched torpedos. The lesson to be learned is that aircraft carriers seem to be the naval vessil that can inflict the most damage. Large battleships are vulnerable to attack from the air by aircraft and guided missiles. If there was a hero, it was the observer in the Catalina PBY that tracked the Bismark down and the pilot that hit the Bismark’s rudder. The movie does not illustrate this.
April 30, 2008
#2
This chestnut has only been on cable about 1,000 times, and if you’re at all interested, you’ve already seen it many times over. The best parts of the movie happen with Kenneth More, who plays his role with a reasonable degree of complexity, even though it’s a standard turn (the tough as steel but wounded and kind underneath military guy). The worst part is the bad-guy portrayal of Admiral Lutjens, who is played as a unyielding Nazi true believer superman type.
But, a movie like this is probably judged on the naval battle scenes, and it’s pretty horrible in that regard. At least models are used that truly represent the ships involved, but they’re not very good models, and the violence and shock of being on the receiving end of 15″ shells is not at all conveyed. The historical accuracy is pretty fair, but sketchy in several respects.
This film cries for a remake, fleshing out the story behind the mission from the German Navy side as well, and punching up the graphics a hundred fold. They remake just about everything these days, I wonder why a thunderous battleship battle film doesn’t make lunch discussions in Hollywood?
April 30, 2008
#3
I rated this at least a 4 star film for a none to thrilling fact that this film represents an event in a time past that was as dramatic as any of the days of world war 2.There are a few items of a verifiable nature that the would be viewer might well learn from. The world had settled a score with Germany with the signing of the armistice which ended the first world war.The accord agreed to restricted the tonnage,that is the size and scope of germanys naval ambitions,just to mention one of the many restrictions placed on germany.One of the original ideas that germany pioneered in order to get around the restrictions was the advent of what we now know was the pocket battleship.The Bismarck was a very powerfull,if not the most powerfull ship afloat while she roamed the seas.I beleive though that the Japanese had the distinction of possessing the right to the most powerfull ship afloat during world war two.However, look no further than the bismarck! Destroyers and the like ran from her and to be absolutly straight up with you that was a ship to be reckoned with! There is another fact that might provide some help in this very important battle that is about to take place? The first world war brought an end to the era of the dreadnaught,which H.M.S. Hood was part of,though her place on the high seas was at a latter point in the first world war she still possessed a dreadnaught distinction.During a time between the wars and commencing a time immediately before the onset of hostilites of the second world war Hood underwent a makeover.Listen to this! those dreadnaught were slower than what was being done as the years passed and in an effort to make Hood faster she made a sacrifice of her plating.If you really want a shock wear do you think her plating was taken from?Right behind the stacks immediately over the area which protects the munitions.If ever there was a disaster waiting to happen it was that.I beleive that this might still be a conjecture as to the Hood blowing up,however the rest is history.I want to be clear this actually occured Hood was refitted and slimmed down and it may have cost her,her life.Long Live this Island nation-had it not been For the resolve of England on the high seas things may very well been different.This is not lessen any other aspect of the very dramatic time in world history but its dramatic detail cannot be overlooked-As a side note this picture drew enough attention that I think it was a singer who released a song at the time of the release of the film called Sink the Bismarck by johnny Horton.There not many events in history that entire movies are dedicated to,well,this is one.
April 30, 2008
#4
Bismarck was one heck of a ship, too bad it had to end without a more even battle. The British used so many battleships to sink a ship without steering! Not exactly what one would expect from the British navy. It’s like six lions going after a wounded elephant that cannot fight back. Does not show much bravery on the part of the British, I was rooting for the Bismarck during the whole movie !!
April 30, 2008
#5
I was so glad to see this releaed on DVD, and the res is great- super!