''Gift Horse'' (released in the United States as ''Glory at Sea'') is a 1952 British

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

. It was produced by George Pitcher, directed by

Compton Bennett Herbert William Compton Bennett (15 January 1900 – 11 August 1974), better known as Compton Bennett, was an England, English film director, writer and producer. He is perhaps best known for directing the 1945 film ''The Seventh Veil'' and the ...

, and stars

Trevor Howard Trevor Wallace Howard-Smith (29 September 1913 – 7 January 1988) was an English stage and screen actor. After varied work in the theatre, he achieved leading man star status in the film '' Brief Encounter'' (1945), followed by '' The Third M ...

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...

James Donald James Donald (18 May 1917 – 3 August 1993) was a Scottish actor. Tall and thin, he specialised in playing authority figures, particularly military doctors. Early life Donald was born in Aberdeen, the fourth son of a Scottish Presbyterian mi ...

, and

Sonny Tufts Bowen Charlton "Sonny" Tufts III (July 16, 1911 – June 4, 1970) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He is best known for the films he made as a contract star at Paramount in the 1940s, including '' So Proudly We Hail!''. He ...

. The film follows the story of the fictional ship HMS ''Ballantrae'' and her crew from the time they come together in 1940 until they go on a one-way mission to destroy a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

-held dry dock in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The final mission is based on HMS ''Campbeltown'' and the

St Nazaire Raid The St Nazaire Raid or Operation Chariot was a British amphibious attack on the heavily defended Louis Joubert Lock, Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German occupation of France during World War II, German-occupied France during the Second ...

. The title is a reference to the old proverb " Never look a gift horse in the mouth".

Plot

In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

is desperately short of personnel. Court-martialled eight years before, Lieutenant Commander Fraser is brought out of retirement and put in command of the antiquated "four pipe"

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

-vintage ship HMS ''Ballantrae'', formerly USS ''Whittier'', one of the Town-class destroyers from the

destroyers-for-bases deal The destroyers-for-bases deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom on 2 September 1940, according to which 50 , , and -class US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy in exchange for lan ...

. On her first mission, convoy escort duty, ''Ballantrae'' suffers a burst steam pipe and has to be left behind while repairs are effected. The commander's reputation spreads around the harbour while still in Britain, resulting in a bar brawl between crews when his crew defends his reputation. Flanagan ends up on a charge due to this, ironically being punished by the man he was defending. On her first mission, convoy escort duty, while attempting to attack a nearby

U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...

the ''Ballantrae'' suffers a burst steam pipe and cannot attack the submarine. They do however successfully shoot down a plane. before returning to port for repair. Fraser is offered a new ship but chooses to stay with the ''Ballantrae''. Whilst exercising close to the Cornish coast off Lizard Point the ship strikes a recently sunk ship, which should have been plotted on the charts. The ship is badly damaged. Fraser takes full blame for this during an enquiry by the Admiralty. At Christmas 1941 Commander Fraser receives a telegram telling him that his son has been killed on active service. He does not show his grief. He celebrates with his crew, who have now given the ship the nickname "The Gift Horse". Fraser's officers and crew resent his efforts to whip them into shape, but he eventually moulds them into an efficient fighting force, prior to being sent on ''Operation Boadicea'', a daring suicide mission against a Nazi submarine base on the coast of France.

Cast

as Lieutenant Commander Hugh Algernon Fraser *

as "Dripper" Daniels *

as Lieutenant Richard Jennings *

as "Yank" Flanagan *

Bernard Lee John Bernard Lee (10 January 190816 January 1981) was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films. Lee's film career spanned the years 1934 to 1979, though he had appeared on stage from ...

as Able Seaman "Stripey" Wood *

Dora Bryan Dora May Broadbent (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was an English actress of stage, film and television.Hugh Williams Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (6 March 1904 – 7 December 1969) was a British actor and dramatist of Welsh descent. Early life and career Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (nicknamed "Tam") was born at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex to Hugh Dafydd Antho ...

as Captain David G. Wilson, Division Commander *

Robin Bailey William Henry Mettam "Robin" Bailey (5 October 1919 – 14 January 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Often cast in upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Mr Justice Graves in Thames Television Th ...

as Lieutenant Michael Grant, ship's pilot * Meredith Edwards as Jones, Chief Engineer *

John Forrest Sir John Forrest (22 August 1847 – 2 SeptemberSome sources give the date as 3 September 1918 1918) was an Australian explorer and politician. He was the first premier of Western Australia (1890–1901) and a long-serving cabinet minister in ...

as Appleby *

Patric Doonan Patric Doonan (George William Doonan) (18 April 1926 in Derby, Derbyshire – 10 March 1958 in London) was a British stage and screen actor. He was the son of comedian George Vincent Doonan and Doris Mary (Nee Endsor) he was the brother of f ...

as Petty Officer Martin *

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. Noted for his distinctive laugh, he was best known for numerou ...

as Ned Hardy, owner of Golden Bull public house * Tony Quinn as McConalog * James Kenney as John A. Fraser, Hugh's son * George Street as Court Member * Hugh Hastings as Crewman * James Carney as Bone *

Harold Siddons William Harold Henry Siddons (17 September 19224 November 1963)Charles Lloyd-Pack Charles Lloyd-Pack (10 October 1902 – 22 December 1983) was a British film, television and stage actor. Life and career Lloyd Pack was born in Wapping, East London, to working-class parents. He appeared in several horror films produced by ...

as Member of Board of Inquiry (as Charles Lloyd Pack) * Peter Bathurst as Member of Board of Inquiry * William Russell as Crewman (as Russell Enoch) *

Anthony Oliver Anthony Oliver (4 July 1922 – November 1995) was a Welsh film, television and stage actor. Selected filmography * ''Once a Jolly Swagman'' (1949) – Derek * ''All Over the Town'' (1949) – P.C. Butt * '' A Run for Your Money'' (1949) – ...

as Ship's Officer, Guns *

Joan Rice Joan Rice (3 February 1930 – 1 January 1997) was an English film actress. Rice is best known for her role as Dalabo in the film '' His Majesty O'Keefe'' (1954) which co-starred Burt Lancaster. Apart from that she played Maid Marian in '' T ...

as June Mallory, WRNS cypher officer *

Glyn Houston Glyndwr Desmond Houston (23 October 1925 – 30 June 2019) was a Welsh actor best known for his television work. He was the younger brother of film actor Donald Houston. Early life Houston was born at 10 Thomas Street, Tonypandy, Glamorgan, W ...

as Morgan, Engine Room Artificer ncredited

Production

The movie was meant to star Robert Stack but when he arrived in the UK he was refused a work permit and was replaced by James Donald. Part of the finance came from two rubber merchants, Colonels Weil and Prior. The film was backed by James Lawrie and John Woolf. They formed a new company, Molton Films, to take the film over from Jay Lewis Productions as

Jay Lewis Jay Gardner Lewis (1914 – June 4, 1969) was a British film director, producer and writer. Starting in the theatre, he joined British International Pictures in 1933. In 1940, he founded the documentary film company Verity Films with Sydne ...

refused to allow director Compton Bennett to work unhindered while filming. The real-life ship used in the film was HMS ''Leamington''. Built in 1919 as the USS ''Twiggs'', a

Wickes-class destroyer The ''Wickes''-class destroyers were a class of 111 destroyers built by the United States Navy in 1917–19. Together with the six preceding and following 156 subsequent s, they were grouped as the "flush-deck" or "four-stack" type. Only a few ...

, she was one of the last post-war survivors of the 50 elderly four-funnelled destroyers provided in 1940 by the US as part of the "

Destroyers for Bases Agreement The destroyers-for-bases deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom on 2 September 1940, according to which 50 , , and -class US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy in exchange for lan ...

": (also known as "The Fifty Ships that Saved the World"). She served on convoy duties, including as an escort for the ill-fated

Convoy PQ 17 Convoy PQ 17 was an Allied Arctic convoy during the Second World War. On 27 June 1942, the ships sailed from Hvalfjörður, Iceland, for the port of Arkhangelsk in the Soviet Union. The convoy was located by German forces on 1 July, shadowed ...

. In 1943 she was transferred to the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...

as HMCS ''Leamington''. After a short period in reserve in 1944, she was one of seven sisters transferred to the

Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...

, and there became the ''Zguchij'' ("''Firebrand''"). Returned to the Royal Navy in 1950, the ship was listed for disposal in 1951, but before being broken up she was hired for the ''Gift Horse'' film. For the final scenes of the film, based on her sister-ship ''Campbeltown's'' daring

, her four funnels were reduced to two, and cut down at an angle to resemble the funnels of a German

torpedo boat A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs were steam-powered craft dedicated to ramming enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes. Later evolutions launched variants of ...

, just as ''Campbeltown's'' had been. She was finally broken up in December 1951. The film was shot at

Isleworth Studios Isleworth Studios is the common name of two former film studios in Great Britain. __TOC__ Worton Hall Studios 1913–1952 Worton Hall Studios were based on Worton Hall, in Isleworth. This house was built in 1783 and rebuilt and extended in the ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

with sets designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Edward Carrick Edward Carrick (born Edward Anthony Craig; 3 January 1905 – 21 January 1998) was an English art designer for film, an author and illustrator. Carrick was born in London. His father was Edward Gordon Craig, the theatre practitioner and stage ...

Reception

The film performed poorly at the US box office, like most British war movies of this era. It earned the producer receipts of £152,287.Chapman p 153

References

External links

''Gift Horse''
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

*
Review of film
at Variety {{Compton Bennett 1952 films 1950s war drama films British war drama films British black-and-white films Films directed by Compton Bennett World War II films based on actual events Royal Navy in World War II films Seafaring films based on actual events Western Front of World War II films Films scored by Clifton Parker Films shot at Isleworth Studios Films set in 1940 1950s English-language films 1950s British films English-language war drama films