The Ship That Died of Shame

The Ship That Died of Shame
Original film poster
Directed by	Basil Dearden
Written by	Basil Dearden Nicholas Monsarrat (novel) Michael Relph John Whiting
Produced by	Basil Dearden Michael Relph
Starring	George Baker Richard Attenborough Bill Owen
Cinematography	Gordon Dines
Edited by	Peter Bezencenet
Music by	William Alwyn
Production company	Ealing Studios
Release date	19 April 1955 (1955-04-19) (UK)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Ship That Died of Shame, released in the United States as PT Raiders, is a black-and-white 1955 Ealing Studios crime film directed by Basil Dearden and starring George Baker, Richard Attenborough and Bill Owen.

The film is based on a story written by Nicholas Monsarrat (better known as the author of The Cruel Sea), which originally appeared in Lilliput magazine in 1952. It was later published in a collection of short stories, The Ship That Died of Shame and other stories, in 1959.

Though made by Ealing Studios, the film was shot at the film studios at Wembley Park in north-west London. It was the last feature film to be made there.

Plot

The 1087 is a British Royal Navy motor gun boat that faithfully sees its crew through the worst that World War II can throw at them. After the end of the war, George Hoskins (Richard Attenborough) convinces former skipper Bill Randall (George Baker) and Birdie (Bill Owen) to buy their beloved boat and use it for some harmless, minor smuggling of black market items like wine. But they find themselves transporting ever more sinister cargoes; counterfeit currency and weapons. Though their craft had been utterly reliable and never let them down in wartime, it begins to break down frequently, as if ashamed of its current use. The crew revolt when they are used in the escape of a child murderer and (probable) paedophile.

Cast

• Richard Attenborough as George Hoskins
• George Baker as Bill Randall
• Bill Owen as Birdie
• Virginia McKenna as Helen Randall
• Roland Culver as Major Fordyce
• Bernard Lee as Customs Officer Brewster
• Ralph Truman as Sir Richard
• John Chandos as Raines
• Harold Goodwin as Customs officer
• John Longden as the Detective
• Alfie Bass as Sailor on board the 1087 (uncredited)
• John Boxer as Customs Man (uncredited)
• Stratford Johns as Garage Worker (uncredited)
• David Langton as Man in Coastal Forces Club Bar (uncredited)
• Yana, as a woman singer performing We'll Meet Again in a room off the bar of the Coastal Forces Club

External links

• The Ship That Died of Shame at IMDb