1952

95m

Gift Horse

Summary

Compton Bennett's war drama The Gift Horse follows the fortunes of ageing destroyer The Ballantrae and her crew from the time they come together in 1940 until the climactic raid on occupied St Nazaire in 1942. Trevor Howard plays Lt Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser, the newly appointed captain, back in service after having left the navy following a court martial.

Cast

Richard Attenborough

Dripper Daniels

James Donald

Lt. Richard Jennings, No. 1

Sonny Tufts

Yank Flanagan

Trevor Howard

Lt. Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser

Bernard Lee

A.S. 'Stripey' Wood

Dora Bryan

Glad Flanagan

Hugh Williams

Captain David G. Wilson

Robin Bailey

Lt. Michael Grant, Pilot

Meredith Edwards

Jones

John Forrest

Appleby the Captain's Steward

Patric Doonan

Petty Officer Martin

Sid James

Ned Hardy, Landlord Golden Bull

Harold Siddons

Adm. Bartlett

William Russell

Crewman

Joan Rice

June Mallory, WRNS cypher officer

Peter Bathurst

Commander C.E. Spencer

Charles Lloyd Pack

Captain R. G. Bates (Board of Inquiry)

Chris Adcock

Crewman (uncredited)

Tim Turner

Crewman (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Compton Bennett

Adaptation

William Rose

Screenplay

William Fairchild

Screenplay

Hugh Hastings

Story

Ivan Goff

Story

Ben Roberts

Reviews

Geronimo1967

September 9, 2022

Trevor Howard makes for an eminently plausible "Lt. Cdr. Fraser" in command of a dilapidated ex-USN destroyer - renamed HMS Ballantrae - whose stiff upper lip, by the book, approach to his men causes considerable resentment. Gradually, though - and not before the ship has a few mishaps - he begins to turn them around before their ultimate mission to attack a Nazi-occupied French dry dock. A good ensemble cast including James Donald, Bernard Lee and Richard Attenborough help keep the pace quick and interesting. The latter part of the film is based on a real-life raid on St. Nazaire and is quite an exciting ride. I enjoyed this.