JohnHowardReid Sound recording: Philip Dorte, T.S. Lyndon-Haynes. British Acoustic Film Sound System. Producer: Michael Balcon. Made on location and at Gaumont-British Studios, Shepherd's Bush. A Gaumont-British Picture, presented by the Rank Organisation and released in the U.K. by International Film Renters.Copyright 15 May 1935 by Gaumont British Picture Corp. of America. New York opening at the Globe: 20 October 1935. U.K. release: 11 November 1935. London opening at the New Gallery: 12 May 1935. Australian release through 20th Century-Fox: December 1935. 80 minutes. (The USA version only is available only on a middling quality Carlton VHS). U.S. release title (in a 70-minute version): BORN FOR GLORY. Shooting and pre-release title: BROWN ON RESOLUTION. U.S.A. alternative title: TORPEDO RAIDER.SYNOPSIS: Lone British sailor corners German battleship.NOTES: First non-documentary to be made with the full co-operation of the British Admiralty, who lent four warships plus 270 naval personnel to Gaumont-British.Re-made in 1953 as Sailor of the King.COMMENT: Although Forde didn't like John Mills in the lead part, I thought he was very effective, his diminutive stature further reinforcing the tension and irony of the central situation. I thought him far superior in every respect, including acting, credibility and charisma to the remake's Jeffrey Hunter. In fact, the whole film is more entertaining and suspenseful. True, the only version currently available is the American, which was cut by some ten or eleven minutes. Lord knows what's missing — perhaps some training sequences or on-shore high-jinks — as there are no gaps in the story-line which moves admirably fast and manages to introduce more conflict in its 70 minutes than "Sailor of the King" in 84. It was a stroke of genius to introduce an early mate-ship between Brown and a German sailor (remarkably well played by Howard Marion Crawford, looking amazingly youthful and fit, and effecting a most convincing German accent as well), and why this suspenseful device was not retained for the re-make is a mystery. Not only is the pace faster, the story more engrossing, the characters more sympathetic, but the staging is superior too. The action spots are most excitingly contrived. This version has a freshness and vitality in its acting and direction that makes the newer film look dated and old-hat. (It was a big mistake for "Sailor of the King" to update the plot to WW2. A story that is believable in 1914 can sound incredible in a setting 30 years later).Production values are excellent too, with real warships and crowded studio sets.Admittedly, Betty Balfour is a shade old-fashioned but her role (at least in this 70 minute version) is much smaller than her top billing would imply. Barry Mackay carries himself with quiet authority, whilst Percy Walsh is realistic as the German captain. Photography (not seen at its best in this somewhat dupey print) and other credits are first-rate.

robertguttman In this, his first starring role in a movie during the course of a remarkable acting career that would span no less than seven decades, John Mills is perfectly cast as a plucky young sailor. This was the first of many heroic rolls that Mills would subsequently fill. In fact, for a while Mills played so many heroes that it was jokingly asserted that Britain could not have won World War II without him. Originally entitled "Brown on Resolution", this movie is based upon a story by C. S. Forester, the author of the famous Horatio Hornblower novels. However, Like "The African Queen", which was also written by Forester, this naval yarn is set in the early days of World War I. John Mills plays Albert Brown, a young Royal Navy seaman, the illegitimate son of a Royal Navy Officer who is not actually aware that he has a child at all. Assigned to an antiquated British cruiser in the Pacific, Brown's ship is sunk by a more powerful German warship early in World I. Rescued by the enemy warship, which puts into a lonely Pacific island for repairs, Brown steals a rifle and escapes ashore in an effort to keep the Germans pinned down long enough for his own Navy to arrive on the scene.This is the sort of old-fashioned "Ripping Yarn" in which the lone hero pits himself against overwhelming odds for reasons of loyalty, duty and honor that would seem incomprehensible to people nowadays, but which struck a deep chord with audiences back then.Incidentally, this film is also notable to naval history buffs due to the fact that the British Admiralty allowed the producers to use real warships that were in commission at the time. Among those are the battleship HMS Iron Duke, which was the flagship during the 1916 Battle of Jutland, and which was then still in service as a gunnery training ship. Also featured is one of five British light cruisers of the Leander class, all of which subsequently distinguished themselves during World War II, most particularly HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles, which would famously battle the German pocket battleship Graf Spee. Also of note, although for a very different reason, is the WW-I vintage light cruiser cruiser HMS Curacoa, which portrayed the German cruiser in the film. On the night of 2 October 1942 HMS Curacoa was sunk in a tragic collision with the passenger liner Queen Mary. The 80,000 ton liner literally sliced the elderly cruiser in half, like a hot knife through butter. However, the Queen Mary was unable to stop to help the survivors because she was transporting 10,000 badly-needed U.S. Army troops to Britain. For obvious reasons the tragedy had to be hushed up until after the war was over, even the 10,000 troops who were on board the Queen Mary at the time being sworn to secrecy. Although 101 crew members were eventually rescued by other escorting warships, 337 went down with HMS Curacoa,

jtan163 This is a great film version of CS Forrestor's book of the same title.I love the book and I love the movie.Great story of determination in the face of long odds.Brown one of two able seaman to survive a cruiser sinking after an engagement with a German cruiser is picked up by the damaged German cruiser.The German cruiser needs repairs and chooses a bay on a rocky inhospitable island.While the ship is immobile Borown steals a rifle and escapes ashore - he manages to snipe at the Germans repairing the ship for long enough for the rest of the British squadron to find and engage the German cruiser.

Neil-117 Pre-WW2 propaganda piece proving that the British people have the sea in their veins and courage in their hearts. Sentiment and nationalism are laid on thickly and there are many special treats for those who enjoy watching model warships floating in a bathtub while pretending to shoot each other.I doubt there'd have been a dry eye in the house during the 1930s but today you've really got to be in the mood for this kind of thing to rise above cliche. If you could happily watch "Mrs Miniver" or "Goodbye Mr Chips" tonight, then you're already in the right mood.John Mills in one of his first starring roles gives a genuinely excellent performance as a heroic British naval seaman.