Morning Departure

Morning Departure is a 1950 British naval film directed by Roy Ward Baker, produced by Jay Lewis, and starring John Mills, Nigel Patrick, Peter Hammond, George Cole, Bernard Lee and Richard Attenborough. It is based on a stage play of the same name by Kenneth Woollard.^[1]

Plot

The story is set after the end of the Second World War and concerns a British submarine, Trojan, which is out on a routine patrol when it encounters a derelict floating mine left over from the war. Unfortunately, it is a magnetic mine, and the submarine does not need to hit it before it becomes a danger. The sub dives, but eventually sets off the mine and it blows the stern of the sub completely off, killing instantly all seamen therein. The sub settles to the bottom leaving twelve crew members amidships, they having been saved by the watertight doors which had been closed as normal routine when the sub dived.

When the shore base becomes aware that Trojan is overdue, surface rescue vessels are sent out to investigate. The captain of the sub sensibly provides an indication of their position to these vessels by expelling a quantity of oil which rises to the surface. Following standard escape procedure, a diver is sent down with an air line while everyone prepares for the rescue. The Captain selects the first four for release, and they escape safely without incident, and are picked up on the surface. The eight remaining crew assume there are plenty of breathing sets for them all to escape successfully. However the Captain discovers that all but four have been destroyed in the blast. This means the final four will have to remain under water until a full salvage operation can be carried out, which may take a week or more.

The Captain assembles the others to draw lots through a pack of cards he deals out, to decide who goes and who remains. Two, the cook and the 1st lieutenant, with the lowest cards, select themselves to stay behind along with the Captain himself. The top three, to go first, also select themselves with high cards. Of the other two, there is a tie, both knaves, between Stoker Snipe and ERA (Engine Room Artificer) Marks. On losing a re-deal, young Snipe goes berserk with fear and has to be physically restrained. The Captain approaches Marks and asks if he will forfeit his place for Snipe, sensing difficulties if Snipe is left behind. Marks agrees.

They begin to prepare for escape, but Snipe hangs back, claiming he has hurt his arm in the scuffle. He insists that Marks should go. Marks and the other three escape safely through the hatch and are picked up by the salvage vessels. Below, the 1st Officer has a fainting fit but Snipe catches him using both arms without difficulty. Cheerfully at first, the four begin the wait for the salvage operation.

Above, all goes well to begin with, in fine weather. Divers manage to secure cables under the sub, which is slowly winched up, but only fifteen feet per day can be achieved. However, as the days go by, the weather turns, and soon there is a full storm at sea. As a result, the sub shifts on the cables, and sinks again to the floor of the ocean. The 1st Officer has remained in ill-health below, nursed with care by Snipe. However his bunk is located next to what becomes a gas leak, and, overcome, the 1st Officer dies.

The storm is so bad that the captain of the salvage ship decides his own men are at risk, and abandons the salvage operation altogether. The three left in the sub sense that there is no hope for them. The film ends with the Captain reading from a Naval prayer book.

From early scenes in the film, and from dialogue throughout, we are given an insight into the personal and home lives of the crew, their hopes, and now thwarted ambitions. For example, Snipe is married to a wayward wife, whom he idolizes; whilst the Captain has been offered a lucrative shore job by his wealthy father-in-law, and had been planning to leave the Navy to take it up as soon as this patrol was over.

The reference to HMS Truculent below the titles of the film (and herebelow)concern a real naval submarine which in a collision with a freighter caused the loss of 64 lives. This occurred after the film was completed but before the film was released. The producers decided to go ahead with the release, as a tribute to the fortitude of Royal Naval personnel.

Cast

• John Mills as Lt. Cmdr. Armstrong
• Nigel Patrick as Lt. Manson
• Peter Hammond as Sub-Lt. Oakley
• Andrew Crawford as Sub-Lt. J. McFee
• Michael Brennan as CPO Barlow
• George Cole as ERA Marks
• Victor Maddern as Leading Telegraphist Hillbrook
• Roddy McMillan as Leading Seaman Andrews
• Frank Coburn as Leading Seaman Brough
• Jack Stewart as Leading Seaman Kelly
• James Hayter as Able Seaman Higgins
• Wylie Watson as Able Seaman Nobby Clark
• Richard Attenborough as Stoker Snipe
• George Thorpe as Capt. Fenton
• Bernard Lee as Cmdr. Gates
• Kenneth More as Lt. Cmdr. James
• Alastair Hunter as Capt. Jenner
• Helen Cherry as Helen Armstong
• Lana Morris as Rose Snipe
• Zena Marshall as WREN
• Michael Caine as Teaboy (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

See also

• HMS Truculent (P315)

References

1. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042810/

External links

• Morning Departure at the Internet Movie Database