Lifeboat

Rating: 7/10 (7 December 2007)

I wouldn't have expected that here Oscar nominated Sir Alfred Hitchcock, master of suspense, directed a war film, but on the other hand it is not really what I expected. It is pretty much like Rear Window, set in one location, and relying more on the chat than some action to get to the bottom of things. Basically it is World War II, and a ship has been torpedoed and sunk, along with its attacker, and many survivors are gathering in the nearest lifeboat. All are different backgrounds: columnist Constance Porter (Tallulah Bankhead), engineer of the ship Kovac (John Hodiak), radio operator Stanley Garrett (Hume Cronyn), nurse Alice MacKenzie (Mary Anderson), millionaire Charles 'Ritt' Rittenouse (Henry Hull), seaman Gus Smith (William Bendix), steward Joe (Canada Lee), and Mrs. Higgins (Heather Angel), a hysterical Englishwoman holding her dead baby. Though all these characters have different backgrounds, they put this aside to try and survive. Then German U-boat captain Willy (Walter Slezak) joins them, luckily Connie interprets to get direction toward Bermuda. As they travel they have to deal with disagreements, a leg that has to come because of gangrene, the hysterical mother drowning herself, and eventually, they realise that Willy in a stormy moment does speak English. Slowly they (and us the audience) see there is more to this suspicious character, he seems to have a compass, but more importantly more energy, because they find out he has a secret water supply. Towards the end they dispose of him over the boat, are almost rescued/captured (whatever your opinion) by a German supply ship which is attacked by the next oncoming ship, and sinks, and in the end, you don't see them being rescued, but there is that other ship coming, so we can only hope they did. It may not be as witty and exciting (well, suspenseful is probably the better word) as Rear Window, but it certainly does have some good moments and tiny twists. It was nominated the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Writing, Original Story for John Steinbeck. Sir Alfred Hitchcock was number 75 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons. Very good!