While sailing lawfully up the Yangste in 1949, the British warship Amethyst found its return to the open sea blocked by Communist Chinese shore batteries that unexpectedly opened fire. In charge, Lietenant Commander Kerans was not however prepared for his crew and his ship to remain as a hostage for the Chinese to use as an international pawn.
Direction
Anderson squeezes claustrophobia from a warship's corridors.
Acting
Richard Todd's jawline carries British resolve alone.
Director
Michael Anderson
Richard Todd
Lieutenant-Commander John Simon Kerans
William Hartnell
Leading Seaman Leslie Frank
Akim Tamiroff
Colonel Peng
Donald Houston
Lieutenant Weston
Keye Luke
Captain Kuo Tai
Sophie Stewart
Miss Charlotte Dunlap
Robert Urquhart
Flight Lieutenant Fearnley
Richard Leech
Lieutenant Strain
Barry Foster
Petty Officer McCarthy
Thomas Heathcote
Mr. Monaghan
Sam Kydd
Able Seaman Walker
Ewen Solon
ERA Williams
Kenneth Cope
Mr. McNamara
Alfred Burke
Petty Officer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Richard Todd was a real WWII paratrooper who survived D-Day; his Kerans has authentic 'I've been worse places' energy.
This was Communist China's international debut—Hollywood's first take on the new regime was surprisingly even-handed, perhaps because the British lost.
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