 "Superb war movie -- the kind they don't make anymore." | 2009-07-07 |
| - Reviewed By perinquus |
This is an absolutely classic war movie. And as I said, it's the kind of movie they just don't make anymore -- dependent on dialogue, acting, suspense, and plot. In other words, it's a great story, well told, and as such, can stand on its own merits. Don't get me wrong; action, special effects, grand stunts, they're great, and they certainly have their place, but while they can make a good movie better, they can't make a poor movie good. Today, filmmakers rely far too heavily on these things. "Sink the Bismarck" is a movie which proves that a film can be great even when it lacks almost all of these things... IF the story is good. Fortunately, this one is. It's a war movie, with few battle scenes, almost no stunts, and special effects which, while adequate in their day, look less impressive today. And despite this, it's still an absolutely first rate movie because of the quality of the story and the acting. That's what separates it from most of today's movies. Few films today can stand so firmly solely on their merits as good stories, well told.
Now having said all that, the film isn't perfect. The biggest flaw is the misrepresentation of at least one of the characters. A great injustice has been done to Admiral Günther Lütjens. He is depicted in this film as a rabid arch-nazi. In reality, he was almost exactly the opposite. He was the classic example of the old-style German officer, whose sense of duty to the state overcame his judgment and conscience, who followed orders and obeyed his leaders, despite deep personal misgivings and personal dislike of the regime. Far from being an ardent ideological Nazi, the real Lütjens despised Hitler and the Nazis, refused to give the Nazi salute (sticking to the old naval salute), and protected Jews under his command. Also, the real Lütjens was pessimistic about taking on the Royal Navy, unlike the portrayal in this film, where he appears almost contemptuous about the abilities of his British adversary. Still, Karel Stepanek's performance as Lütjens is good enough, and charismatic enough to overcome most of this.
The only other flaws are minor -- cliches about the main character's son in harm's way, personal loss (spouse), and devotion to duty at the expense of warmth and humanity. But these things are not overplayed, so they don't hurt much.
Despite the flaws, this is an absolutely first rate movie, and it's a great story about a tremendously dramatic historical event. Kenneth More carries the film superbly. The supporting players are all excellent. Dana Wynter provides a strong female lead, and a romantic interest to the main character, who nevertheless isn't allowed to distract from the story. And the movie has a great plot, superb pacing, and a dramatic, even poignant climax. It belongs in any war movie collection. |
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 "Great film for all!!" | 2009-04-12 |
| - Reviewed By solestos |
This film has adventure and action that will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end!
I recomend this film for all WWII buffs out there!A must see!! |
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| "An old favorite well preserved" | 2009-03-31 |
| - Reviewed By dcmillermd |
| I recently picked up this DVD of Sink the Bismarck because it was 1) inexpensive and 2) something I had not seen for a while. It is one of my favorite movies, despite the wholly unnecessary fictional romantic side-story and the historically inaccurate depiction of Admiral Lutjens. It does a very nice job (given the technical capabilities of films back when this was made) of showing the sea battles and has great film of many actual Royal Navy ships. |
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| "Compelling WWII action" | 2009-02-15 |
| - Reviewed By bonesteeldavid |
| Captain Shepard (Kenneth More) and his staff in the Naval Command Center direct the British Navy in its hunt for the German battleship Bismarck. Archival footage is expertly integrated with staged footage to produce compelling battles at sea. More, struggling with the death of his wife and the MIA status of his son, and Dana Wynter, playing his assistant, carry the emotional weight of the story. I wish the filmmakers had established the importance of destroying the Bismarck better; I had to accept that it was worth diverting ships from other important arenas because the film told me so, but it didn't make me feel that necessity on an emotional level. Nevertheless, this remains an entertaining and worthy film. |
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| "Truth, well told" | 2009-01-13 |
| - Reviewed By nikofan70 |
| This is a dramatization of one of the true sea stories of WWII, when the Brits by both grim determination and a bit of luck destroyed the most lethal surface ship the Nazis had. A great sea story, understated, beautifully acted. |
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| "Drama at Sea..." | 2009-01-01 |
| - Reviewed By thuds45 |
May, 1941: Great Britain stands alone resisting the march of Nazi Germany. France has fallen, Rommel's Afrika Corps is hounding the British Eighth Army in North Africa, and the British are losing the battle for Crete. German submarines and surface raiders are cutting Britain's vital supply lines across the North Atlantic. At this particularly bad moment, the new German battleship Bismarck leaves Germany to attack convoys in the North Atlantic.
1960's "Sink The Bismarck" is a screen adaptation of C.S. Forester's novel of the same name, itself a dramatization of the actual pursuit of the Bismarck by the British Royal Navy. If a few historic details get slighted, the suspense more than makes up for it, as the Bismarck escapes into the North Atlantic, then annihilates a pursuing British battleship.
The center of the drama is the Admiralty Operations Room in London, where the hard-nosed Operations Chief, one Captain Shepard (Kenneth More), moves ships to confront the Bismarck and makes some shrewd guesses as to her route and intentions. He is assisted by a smart young WREN Officer, Anne Davis (the attractive Dana Wynter). Shepard has been traumatized almost into emotional numbness by the loss of his ship at sea and a wife to the Blitz, while his son goes missing in action during the pursuit of the Bismarck. The sensitive Davis will help revive his sense of humanity, providing an emotional core to the dramatic action at sea.
In 1960, special effects were fairly limited, but the movie skillfully weaves in actual combat footage to provide a vivid impression of the exchanges of naval gunfire and the horror of damaged and sinking ships. Especially astonishing is footage of British carrier pilots attacking the Bismarck in obsolete, open-cockpit Swordfish biplanes.
"Sink The Bismarck" is highly recommended as an excellent and entertaining example of a whole genre of World War II films turned out in the 1960's, as that war was still in living memory. |
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