THE SILVER FLEET(1943)Ralph Richardson, Googie Withers & Esmond Knight| Drama | B&W |Nostalgic Flick

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The Silver Fleet is a 1943 British World War II film written and directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley and produced by Powell and Pressburger under the banner of "The Archers".

Synopsis

Early during the Second World War, the Nazis overrun the Netherlands and take control of a submarine shipyard where Jaap van Leyden is the chief engineer. The German Gestapo "Protector" Von Schiffer asks van Leyden to cooperate with the new regime. While pondering his decision, van Leyden walks by a grade school and overhears a teacher telling her class of pupils about Piet Hein, a hero of Dutch lore who captured the Spanish silver fleet and inspired his compatriots to continue fighting for freedom. Van Leyden then decides to accede to Von Schiffer's request. In doing so, he undertakes a covert campaign of sabotage against the German Occupation, leaving notes and graffiti signed under his nom de guerre, "Piet Hein". Thus, van Leyden discreetly enables 12 Dutch engineers to hijack a submarine during its trial run and sail it to England, along with its captured Nazi crew.

Later, after construction of a second submarine is completed, van Leyden plants a bomb inside the sub's engine room, timed to go off the next morning. He returns home to host a dinner party where he persuades several high-ranking Nazi officials to accompany him on the submarine's maiden (and fatal) sea trial. However, his plans almost go awry when Dutch resistance fighter Bastiaan Peters, sneaks into Van Leyden's house undetected and threatens to shoot him as a Quisling. But Van Leyden convinces Peters he is actually "Piet Hein". Peters diverts any suspicion from van Leyden by fatally shooting himself, then hands the pistol over to van Leyden, thus protecting his "Piet Hein" identity. The next morning during its underwater trial, the second submarine is disabled when Van Leyden's planted bomb explodes and floods the engine room, dooming all aboard.

Cast & Crew

Ralph Richardson as Jaap Van Leyden
Googie Withers as Helene Van Leyden
Esmond Knight as von Schiffer
Beresford Egan as Krampf
Frederick Burtwell as Captain Muller
Kathleen Byron as Schoolmistress
Willem Akkerman as Willem Van Leyden
Dorothy Gordon as Janni Peters
Charles Victor as Bastiaan Peters
Joss Ambler as Cornelis Smit
Margaret Emden as Bertha
George Schelderup as Dirk
Neville Mapp as Joop
Ivor Barnard as Admiral
John Carol as Johann
Lieut. Schouwenaar, R.N.N. as Captain of the U-boat
Lieut. van Dapperen, R.N.N. as Lieutenant of the U-boat
John Arold as Navigator of the U-boat
Philip Leaver as Chief of Police
Laurence O'Madden as Captain Schneider
Anthony Eustrel as Lieutenant Wernicke
Charles Minor as Bohme
Valentine Dyall as Markgraf

Directed by: Vernon Sewell, Gordon Wellesley
Written by: Vernon Sewell, Gordon Wellesley
Produced by: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Starring: Ralph Richardson, Googie Withers, Esmond Knight
Cinematography: Erwin Hillier
Edited by: Michael C. Chorlton
Music by: Allan Gray
Distributed by: General Film Distributors
Release Date: 15 March 1943
Running Time: 88 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English