BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE

UK, 1956, 119 minutes, Colour.
John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Ian Hunter, Jack Gwillim, Bernard Lee, Michael Goodliffe, Patrick Macnee, Douglas Wilmer, William Squire.
Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

The Battle of the River Plate is a standard war film from the 1950s but has strong writing and directing credits by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. They had made such interesting films during the 1940s as The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp as well as Stairway to Heaven.

This is the reconstruction of a World War Two battle between the German Graf Spee and British cruisers in the southern American waters of the Atlantic.

The film has a very strong cast led by John Gregson, very popular in films at the time, as well as Anthony Quayle, a strong character actor.

The film shows the tension between Germany and England in 1939, with small British cruisers, Royal and Renown, near Montevideo, Uruguay – waiting for Uruguayan authorities to expel the Graf Spee, which they did.

One of many British films of the mid-50s about World War Two, but one of the more distinguished.

1. How interesting a war film was this? How enjoyable? The qualities of a war films documentary tone, the human interest? The British emphasis? The picturing of the Germane? The combination of these ingredients for total impact?

2. The film as made in the mid-fifties? Its themes and impact them? Now?

3. How much did the film rely on style? On colour, the battle sequences, the structure, and emphasis on Langsdorf, on the battles, on the British success? The use of commentary?

4. What insight into war did the film give? The emphasis on battles, tactics, strategy, victories, prisoners, the conventions of war?

5. The insight into the aspects of war involving injuries death, destruction? The use of weapons? The tragedy of war?

6. What insights into war in terms of morale, patriotism, like, hatred, respect for enemies?

7. How well did the film present the conflict between British and Germane? Was it fair or not?

8. Why did the film evoke such sympathy for Langsdorf? His style, pride? Langsdorf as a person? His interaction with the British officers? Christmas Day? His communication with them? His communication with his men? The reception in Uruguay? His attitude towards defeat? The tragedy of the ending for him?

9. The contrast with the British commanders? The very nature of their Britishness, their ingenuity in tactics and strategy, their relentlessness in achieving victory?

10. The contrast with the captured British Captains? The humanity in these characters and giving the human perspective to the war?

11. The contrast of the sequences in South America, propaganda, American neutrality, the intelligence and its manoeuvring of those involved in the battles? This as a contrast to the battle sequences?

12. How impressively staged were the battle sequences? The climax involving the Graf Spee?

13. What achievement was there in war according to this film?