"In Which We Serve" **** (out of ****)When you think of David Lean you probably think "master of the epic". His best known films are "Doctor Zhivago" (1965), "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) and "Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957). I like those movies just as much as the next person, maybe even more. What you might not have known however is Lean wasn't always working on giant-scale productions. I'm a great admirer of his earliest films, which were collaborations with Sir. Noel Coward.
The two men worked together on four films. Each of them is worth seeing and have elements which make them special. There is the sentimentality of the WW2 love story, "Brief Encounter" (1945), perhaps their best known film. The charming comedy "Blithe Spirit" (also 1945). And the everyday struggles in "This Happy Breed" (1944). But my favorite of the pack just might be "In Which We Serve" (1942), their first collaboration.
In the beginning "In Which We Serve" was intended to be a one man show with Sir. Noel Coward taking full control of the project. He produced the film, wrote the screenplay, composed the musical score, acted the lead part and was set to direct the film.
Since this is a movie blog, some readers may not know who Sir. Noel Coward was. He was given the nickname the "Wonder Boy", others called him "the master". He was foremost known as a composer. It was said of Irving Berlin that he was America's songwriter. If that was true of Berlin then Noel Coward was Britain's songwriter. His ability to write both lyrics and music has most often drawn comparisons to Cole Porter. Both men had an ability to write witty lyrics and simple but memorable melodies. Some of his best known songs are; "I'll See You Again", "Mad About the Boy", "A Room with A View" and "Someday I'll Find You".
Coward was also a distinguished playwright, an actor, singer, TV personality and a painter. He could wear many hats at once and do all jobs equally well. Thus the nickname "Wonder Boy".
Before "In Which We Serve" was conceived, Noel Coward was approached to help out with the war effort. British morale was starting to dwindle. Prior to the release of "In Which We Serve" was the infamous "Blitz on London", for 57 consecutive nights bombs were dropped on London. An estimated 43,000 civilians were killed. Imagine the emotional toll that had on the people. Every night to be bombed.
So the government had to do something. Films were a major part of the propaganda effort. Released before "In Which We Serve" was William Wyler's Oscar winning masterpiece, "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), another film aimed at boosting British morale. "In Which We Serve" is pure propaganda. An attempt to show the hard working Brits all united. Notice the first image of the film. A voice-over (done by none other than Leslie Howard) tell us "this is the story of a ship" as a montage begins showing us a ship being built. Lean shoots this sequence in a long shot so the viewer understands just how many people are involved in this process. How all these people band together, all the skill and discipline involved.
But "In Which We Serve" is of course more than the story of a ship. It is a story about Britain and her people. It is a story about love of country, patriotism and heroism. The film was inspired by the sinking of the HMS Kelly, led by Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, at the Battle of Crete. Coward and Mountbatten were friends and Coward thought since this incident was fresh in everyone's mind it would serve as a good subject matter for the film to incite nationalistic pride.
The main plot of the film takes place at the Battle of Crete. The HMS Torrin as been hit and is about to sink. The crew and the captain find safety holding on to a raft. The film now is primarily told in flashback as we come to learn the story of who these men were. What were their lives like before the war?
The characters we follow most are Captain Kinross (Coward) and his wife, Alix (Celia Johnson, who was also in "Brief Encounter"), Petty Officer Hardy (Bernard Miles) and his wife Kath (Joyce Carey), "Shorty" Blake (John Mills) and his wife Freda (Kay Walsh).
What draws the viewer emotionally into the story is the fact that as we learn about these men and who they are, we know their fate. We learn how Capt. Kinross wanted to rush the ship into commission, giving his crew just three days to prepare. And again we get another montage, this time showing us the dedication of the sailors and their optimism.
We see how "Shorty" and Freda met on a train and it is love at first sight. We see Officer Hardy express concern to his wife about what he feels is an inevitable war.
The film keeps shifting back and forth between time frames. Showing us a sailor's life and then where they have ended up.
The acting by the entire cast is actually quite good. Each performance does exactly what it is suppose to do, incite sympathy and pride. Celia Johnson has a memorable moment when she gives a speech at a party discussing the life of the wife of a sailor. How she will always be second to her husband's first love, his ship. The speech is suppose to make women understand their role and realize the sacrifice their husbands are making.
John Mills, who would later win an Oscar for a David Lean film, "Ryan's Daughter" (1970), is good at playing the "everyman". The only life he knows is that of a sailor. When his country calls, he doesn't ask questions. He merely does what he is told. Just as all good Brits should do in time of war.
And Coward signifies the restrained dignity of the British people. The stiff upper lip mentality. Prior to filming the studio had expressed concern with Coward in the lead, Coward was already an established figure on the London stage and had built a reputation as a dignified English gentleman, always with a cigarette in one hand and a martini in another. Would the public accept him as a sea captain? But Coward insisted on playing the role due to his friendship to Capt. Mountbatten. In the end the performance is successful. Coward seemed to know his limits and doesn't play the character as a hulking brute. Coward wasn't John Wayne so he presents the captain as a family man first and foremost.
Once filming had begun, it became clear to Coward that staging the battle scenes were a bit much for him and placed him out of his element. When asked who he can get to assist him he was told to get 'the best editor" in England, David Lean.
Lean has secured a reputation as an accomplished editor working on such films as "Pygmalion" (1938) and the Powell and Pressburger war film "The 49th Parallel" (1941). But Coward soon noticed Lean was very skillful and decided to share directing credit with Lean, though if you notice the film is always billed as Noel Coward's "In Which We Serve". But this was after all Lean's first film, Coward was the heavyweight.
The battle scenes are impressive and you can tell a lot of money was thrown at the film to get things rights. These battle scenes show the will of the sailors and the British people in general. They do not back down in the face of adversaries. Even after the Torrin is hit we see sailors firing back. They won't go down without a fight. These scenes, as far as battle scenes go, are very well staged. And for their time probably appeared as realistic as any before.
Once the film was released it was a tremendous success. The film actually went on to be used as a recruiting tool for the Royal Naval, to whom the film is dedicated. And it won two Academy Award nominations. One for "Best Picture" and one for Noel Coward's screenplay. It lost both awards to "Casablanca" (1943). But the film is hardly forgotten today by the British. Back in 1999 when the BFI (British Film Institute, the counter-part to the American Film Institute) issued their list of the 100 greatest British films, "In Which We Serve" made the list.
Besides these David Lean films, if you are interested, other Noel Coward works have been adapted for the screen. In 1933 his play "Cavalcade" won the "Best Picture" Oscar (I have reviewed it already). MGM also did adaptations of "We Were Dancing" (1942) with Norma Shearer and Melvyn Douglas, though Coward's songs were removed. And Shearer starred in another Coward adaptation, "Private Lives" (1931) with Robert Montgomery, again minus the songs. But there was the Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald version of "Bitter Sweet" (1940) which did retain many of his songs and most recently "Easy Virtue" (2009) was brought to the screen (which I have also reviewed).
This is of course the first time I have reviewed a David Lean film. If you have an idea of who he is, you may not find this film to be what you were expecting, still, I find these earlier films much more intimate. They feel more personal than some of his later works, as great as those are.
"In Which We Serve" is an amazing heartfelt, emotionally rewarding film. It is one of the masterpieces of cinema.
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