HMS Compass Rose

[Magua]

Of course everyone knows of the famous Das Boot film, but if you would like to see a movie from the other perspective get The Cruel Sea.

The Cruel Sea is based on the Novel of the same name and tells the story of a Flower Class Corvette called the Compass Rose. It's a 1950s movie, but the Battle Scenes are still pretty good. It gives you an idea of what's going on in that Corvette as they Ping You and Drop Charges!

I could only find a Korean Version on DVD, but the Korean Subtitles are easily turned off. I picked mine up at Ebay.

[Pants]

Is that the one with jack hawkins?..if so then yeah it's not a bad movie :D

[Cdre Gibs]

I have named my yatch Compass Rose, always liked the name, and on her spinniker I have an 8 cardinal point compass with a red rose over the top from top right to bottom left. :)

{dont get excited, its only a GP14, LOA-5m}

[Magua]

Is that the one with jack hawkins?..if so then yeah it's not a bad movie :D

Yep That's the one. Jack Hawkins does a good job as a Corvette Captain.

[Kruger]

I read the book over and over again...never seen the movie though...

[clive bradbury]

'The Cruel Sea', IMHO, is a much better movie than 'not bad'. It does have similarities to Das Boot in the atmosphere it creates, with the crew having to deal with foul weather and a dangerous enemy they can never see. Hawkins (based loosely on Walker) is superb. He demonstrates the determination to pursue to a kill, and the psychological personal cost that involved, especially when depth charging with sailors in the water.

If you have never seen it, take a look. Provides a good view of the other side of the U-Boat war.

[KL Seestern]

I agree with Clive -- it's very good. Jack Hawkins is joined by some other fine (and at the time quite young!) British actors like Donald Sinden and Denholm Elliott, and the screen adaptation is by the well-known thriller writer Eric Ambler. Obviously it looks a little dated half a century after it was made, but given its limits of technology and content, the film (like the novel on which it's based) does stand on a par with Das Boot.

[Safe-Keeper]

A bit strange name, if I may be so bold. But yes, seeing it from the other side would be really interesting. I might just look out for that title, although I've got many others on my wish-list.

[Steeltrap]

A bit strange name, if I may be so bold. But yes, seeing it from the other side would be really interesting. I might just look out for that title, although I've got many others on my wish-list.

Well it's a Flower Class.....and Compass Rose is actually that 'star' graphic at the centre of a compass with all the major bearings on it (N, NNE, NE etc...).

Incidentally, the book is much better (no surprise) - by a Canadian, I think, Nicholas Montserrat (is that right? haven't read it for a while). Do yourself a favour and take the trouble to read it BEFORE bothering with the movie.

Includes 2 of my favourite quotes:

1. about the absurdities of the advertising business, the main character (Lockhardt) resigned after being asked to come up with a line for 'Bolgers Toffee'.....and it was:
"Rich and Dark like the Aga Khan"

2. (the British view of) USA in WWII, one character observes:
"They're not a great people, there's just a lot of them"

Makes me laugh just thinking of them.

[Safe-Keeper]

and Compass Rose is actually that 'star' graphic at the centre of a compass with all the major bearings on it (N, NNE, NE etc...).I know.

But that first quote I liked;).

[SteamWake]

Yoiks Amazon has this title listed for 42 bucks US !... Wow !

"Anyone makes a noise Ill have his guts as a necktie !" :up:

[Highbury]

I don't have it on DVD. I do however own it on VHS. One of the video stores in my town was clearing out old war movies quite a few years back and I picked it up for $6 Cdn. I don't actually have my old VHS machine hooked up but I still have it. This thread has made me want to drag it out, I have a few other great old ones only on tape to watch while I have it connected.. :D

[Magua]

Yoiks Amazon has this title listed for 42 bucks US !... Wow !

"Anyone makes a noise Ill have his guts as a necktie !" :up:


I bought mine on Ebay for about $6.00. And it was a factory sealed new DVD.

[KL Seestern]

Incidentally, the book is much better (no surprise) - by a Canadian, I think, Nicholas Montserrat (is that right? haven't read it for a while).

Yes, it's a superb book -- I'm grateful that I was made to read it at school!

The author wasn't Canadian, though I think Canadians sometimes like to 'claim' him as one of our own, because during his post-war diplomatic career he did spend some time based in Ottawa. I think that's how my father, also a WWII naval officer turned diplomat, knew him.

And his name is spelled 'Monsarrat' -- confusingly similar to the Caribbean island of Montserrat!

[Englebert Endrass]

:Stanley Baker:
Good oh, snorkers!
:/Stanley Baker:
:lol:

[Magua]

:Stanley Baker:
Good oh, snorkers!
:/Stanley Baker:
:lol:

LOL....Until he ended up in the Hospital...

[KL Seestern]

Thinking about The Cruel Sea reminds me of something: I think it was that book which coined the famous phrase about corvettes being so unstable at sea that they 'would roll on wet grass'!

By the way, I've come across a reference to another film which sounds similar: Corvette K-225, filmed in 1943. Has anyone seen it? It gets pretty good reviews on imdb.com, but I'd be interested in hearing what the naval fans here have to say!

[Sailor Steve]

Yeah, I have a copy of Corvette K-225 I taped off of a cable channel years ago. Fun movie; even has an uncredited bit part by a very young Robert Mitchum.

[SteamWake]

Yoiks Amazon has this title listed for 42 bucks US !... Wow !

"Anyone makes a noise Ill have his guts as a necktie !" :up:


I bought mine on Ebay for about $6.00. And it was a factory sealed new DVD.

I got a copy comming... uh... from... somewhere :smug:

[SteamWake]

Okay I got and watched the movie.

Its not bad although there is a lot of sappy love interest thrown in and drags in parts.

A curious thing is the splash screen at the start of the movie proclaiming it fit for viewing by the British Film censorship committee :hmm:

I still dont understand the scene where they dropped depth charges on the poor (allied) men in the water. There was seemingly a u boat submerged at all stop beneath them detected by asdic.

1.) Ummm wasent it probably their sinking ship ? (This was eluded to but not resolved).

2.) Couldent they have tossed the life boats / rafts over and let the men clear out first ? After all the "uboat" couldent do very much if it was at a dead stop directly beneath the ship.

Oh well guess that was tossed in for the "drama" factor.

Another thing that bothered me that there was no mention NONE ! of passive sonar. Did not flower corvettes carry passive ?

Oh one more thing. There is a scene where the ship stops for repairs and the captain issues orders to remain as quiet as possible. He even jumps one guys **** for dropping a wrench or something. Meanwhile they are continuous pinging with asdic :doh:

[Camaero]

It is funny because I just put this on my Netflix list a few days ago and now I see this post.:|\\

[Chef]

Great book and Jack Hawkins makes the movie.