The film portrays the battle of the river plate, a naval battle of 1939, between a royal navy force of three cruisers and the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee. But compare the battle on the river plate with a war time film such as in which we serve. A late era powell and pressburger collaboration, the battle of the river plate is a major cut below their string of masterpieces made during the previous decade and foreshadows the amicable and temporary demise of the archers, but has to be commended for its glorious spectacle, strong performances and rigorous attention to detail. The battle of the river plate was fought december, 1939, during world war ii 19391945. For years i have lived with the title battle of the river plate in my head and mused what kind of a battle it was but never went to the trouble to find out.
The battle in the south atlantic was the first major naval battle of world war two. This is the battle of the river plate trailer by anima films on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. It could perfectly be watched from the coasts of punta del este, where today at the port are two big commemorative plaques. May 18, 2015 the battle of the river plate took place on december th 1939. Movie typography from the battle of the river plate 1956, directed by michael powell, starring john gregson, anthony quayle, peter finch, ian hunter home 19201924. We found subtitles for the program the battle of the river plate. In wwi, jutland was the only major battle between the german navy and the royal navy. The battle of the river plate 1956 battle scene pt 1. The royal navy was fighting a desperate battle to keep the convoy routes open to keep the british isles supplied. In the final shot, just as the credits are rolling, the british warships are sailing away with the sun setting behind them. Achilles role in the battle was a special source of pride for new zealanders, who welcomed the ships crew home at huge parades in auckland and wellington in early 1940. Victory in the battle of the river plate, the first major naval engagement of the second world war, was a great boost to british morale during the phoney war. One great danger was the surface raiders, huge cruisers called. Supplied by axis cargo ships or tankers, they primarily attacked and sank merchant shipping, and they could and.
Supplied by axis cargo ships or tankers, they primarily attacked and sank merchant. Battle of montevideo of british invasions of the river plate top 7 facts. The best way so far to see the impressive the battle of the river plate is this german bluray given the title panzerschiff graf spee. Supplied by axis cargo ships or tankers, they primarily attacked and sank. The battle of the river plate is one of the most famous naval battles of the second world war, despite only involving four ships. The battle of the river plate is a 1956 british war film in technicolor and vistavision by the writerdirectorproducer team of michael powell and emeric pressburger.
The battle of the river plate took place in december 1939, and featured the. On december th 1939, the first great naval battle of world war ii took place off the coast of uruguay. It was distributed worldwide by rank film distributors ltd. Known as the battle of the river plate, it set as rivals two great naval officers in a deadly psychological duel.
The author tips a nod to the wellknown eponymous movie of the battle of the river plate that used the uss salem as the graf spee and two real ships from the battle, the former hmnzs achilles and the elderly hms cumberland. The pocket battleship graf spee, the pride of the german fleet, was commanded by captain. In an earlier scene the radio commentator says that the sun is setting and a shot of the sun touching the surface of the sea is shown. Movie typography from the battle of the river plate 1956, directed by michael powell, starring john gregson, anthony quayle, peter finch, ian hunter. What you need to know about the battle of the river plate. May 12, 2012 it is the early years of world war ii and the royal navy must fight a desperate battle to stop germanys best battleship, the admiral graf spee, from sailing to the south atlantic. The story of the pursuit of the german battleship graf spee by the british navy at the outset of world war ii. Introducing our new series profiling often forgotten battles within world war 2. Seventy five years later, the battle of the river plate still holds a. Panzerschiff graf spee 1956 kompleter film youtube. One great danger was the surface raiders, huge cruisers called pocket battleships that slipped out of german waters just before war was declared. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle in the. Well refund your credit card or we can credit your fandango account to use for another movie. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle of wwii.
This movie has been premiered in australian hd theatres in 1956 movies 1956. This is a description of the battle of the river plate fought between the british cruisers exeter, ajax and achilles and the german pocket battleship, graf spee. It is the early years of world war ii and the royal navy must fight a desperate battle to stop germanys best battleship, the admiral graf spee, from sailing to the south atlantic. The battle was inconclusive but the graf spee made a run for a neutral harbor, montevideo in uruguay. Pursuit of the graf spee, the movie clip open, tigers. On december 19, langsdorff, seeking to avoid allegations of cowardice, committed suicide while lying on the ships ensign. Youll have to complete your refund and exchange before the posted showtime indicated on your ticket. She represented a grave threat to allied shipping, sinking eight merchant ships. Though this truelife second world war drama hardly rates alongside a matter of life and death and the red shoes on the cv of writingproducingdirecting duo michael powell and emeric pressburger. Ending with the amicable parting of dove and langsdorff, the battle of the river plate omits the tragic final act of the graf spee story. The battle of the river plate pursuit of the graf spee.
John gregson, anthony quayle, bernard lee, anthony bushell, william squire, andrew cruickshank, ian hunter, jack gwillim, lionel murton, peter illing, emeric pressburger, michael powell, the battle of the river plate 1956 pursuit of the graf spee, the battle of the river plate 1956, pursuit of the graf spee, emeric. The tremendous story of the victory over the graf spee set during the early years of world war ii, the war in the atlantic. Gallery of 27 movie poster and cover images for the battle of the river plate 1956. The battle of the river plate is a 1956 british war film by directorwriter team of michael powell and emeric pressburger, starring john gregson, anthony quayle and peter finch. The german heavy cruiser admiral graf spee had sailed into the south atlantic a fortnight before the war began, and had been commerce raiding after receiving appropriate authorisation on 26 september 1939. Jul 12, 2011 battle of river plate part 5 duration. Though this truelife second world war drama hardly rates alongside a matter of life and death and the red shoes on the cv of writingproducingdirecting duo. Battle of the river plate battle of the river plate. Following his death, he was given a full funeral in buenos aires. When hms achilles opened fire on the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee on december 1939, it became the first nz unit to engage the enemy in the second world war. In the first major naval battle of world war ii, the british navy must find and destroy a powerful german warship.
Arresting narration should surely be credited to emeric pressburger, in the opening of the last film by the archers, with michael powell, the pursuit of the graf spee, 1957, a. Feb 12, 2014 the battle of the river plate was the first naval battle of wwii. It was quite a shock not that long ago and it should really have been longer ago that i discovered that the movie based on real events was an archers production shame on me. The battle of the river plate 1956 battle scene pt2 youtube. The battle of the river plate 1956 battle scene pt 1 youtube. While the encounter had been indecisive, the german navy had lost enough ships that it did not make another attempt, and remained in port for the rest of the war, thus tying up badly needed resources. It was distributed worldwide by rank film distributors ltd the films storyline concerns the battle of the river. With henry harwood, hans langsdorff, michael praed. Timewatch battle of the river plate tv episode 2006 imdb. The films storyline concerns the battle of the river plate, an early world war ii naval battle in 1939. Supplied by axis cargo ships or tankers, they primarily attacked and sank merchant shipping. In the opening years of world war ii the royal navy was fighting a desperate battle to keep the atlantic convoy routes open and the british isles supplied. But the german warships subsequent withdrawal to the neutral uruguayan port of montevideo, and its dramatic scuttling by its own crew on 17 december, turned the battle of the river plate into a major british victory and a welcome morale boost for the allied cause.
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 britains first significant naval victory in ww2. Second world war naval adventure based on the true story of the pursuit of the seemingly unstoppable german battleship graf spee. Set during the early years of world war ii, the war in the atlantic. In the 1950s the english film industry did its best to laud the embattled islands valiant war experience, with pictures about air raids, prison escapes and special missions. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the battle of the river plate near you. John gregson, anthony quayle, bernard lee, anthony bushell, william squire, andrew cruickshank, ian hunter, jack gwillim, lionel murton, peter illing, emeric pressburger, michael powell, the battle of the river plate 1956 pursuit of the graf spee, the battle of the river plate 1956, pursuit of the graf spee, emeric pressburger, john. With world war ii looming, the german deutschland class cruiser admiral graf spee was dispatched from wilhelmshaven to the south atlantic. While the encounter had been indecisive, the german navy had lost enough ships that it did not make another attempt, and remained in port for the rest of the. My name is nobody western english free and full movie henry fonda hd spaghetti western. An early victory for the british, the battle of the river plate ended the threat of german surface raiders in the south atlantic. The battle of the river plate 1956 movie mistakes, goofs.
These guys were geniuses and way way way way before their time, now theyre sung as some of britains best in film number one reason why i despise film critics. The battle of the river plate 1956 directed by emeric. The battle of the river plate, full movie full movie 1956. Ships from the royal navys south american division took on the might of germanys graf spee which was successfully attacking merchant shipping in the south atlantic. With john gregson, anthony quayle, ian hunter, jack gwillim. Pursuit of the graf spee in the united states is a 1956 british war film in technicolor and vistavision by the writerdirectorproducer team of michael powell and emeric pressburger. The battle of the river plate had its genesis in an invitation to michael powell and emeric pressburger to attend a film festival in argentina in 1954. We here at shipcomrade love naval history, so were going to bring it to you. The battle of the river plate 1956 sending ships to the. The battle of the river plate 1956 the movie database. The battle of the river plate history learning site. They decided they couldnt afford to take the time from their schedules unless it was a working holiday, and used the trip to research the defeat of the admiral graf spee.
Made towards the end of michael powell and emeric pressburgers creative partnership, the battle of the river plate is based on the british navys triumph over a german pocket battleship, the graf spee, in the early months of the second world war. The battle of the river plate was the first naval battle in the second world war and the first one of the battle of the atlantic in south american waters. You may exchange or request a refund for your entire order, less the convenience fee, through fandango up until the posted showtime. Of great danger were the numerous surfacecommerce raiders that had slipped out of german waters just before war was declared. You can watch the battle of the river plate online on videoondemand services netflix, hbo now, paytv or movie theatres with original audio in english. My grandma, who lived big part of her life in punta moved there in 1951 told me she heard the cannons from montevideo. River plate, battle of, fought off this south american river on december 1939 between the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee and an allied naval task force. Noel coward, john mills, john gregson, anthony quayle, bernard miles, celia johnson, kay walsh, joyce carey, derek elphinstone, michael wilding, robert sansom, philip friend, anthony asquith, david lean, emeric pressburger, michael powell, noel coward, emeric pressburger. The battle of the river plate took place on december th 1939. Jan 27, 2006 with henry harwood, hans langsdorff, michael praed. When war broke out in september 1939, the german pocket battleship graf spee, commanded by hans langsdorff, was patrolling in the atlantic. The film stars john gregson, anthony quayle, and peter finch. The film portrays the battle of the river plate, a naval battle of 1939. Of great danger were the numerous surfacecommerce raiders that had slipped out of german waters just before.
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