The Cruel Sea (1953): cast, story & where to watch
1953 · Film · ★ 7
Released in 1953, The Cruel Sea is a drama, war and history film directed by Charles Frend, running about 126 minutes.
What it’s about. At the start of World War II, Cmdr. Ericson is assigned to convoy escort HMS Compass Rose with inexperienced officers and men just out of training. The winter seas make life miserable enough, but the men must also harden themselves to rescuing survivors of U-Boat attacks, while seldom able to strike back. Traumatic events afloat and ashore create a warm bond between the skipper and his first officer
Who’s in it. The Cruel Sea stars Jack Hawkins as Ericson, Donald Sinden as Lockhart, Denholm Elliott as Morell and John Stratton as Ferraby, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Cruel Sea has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on BFI Player Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Cruel Sea page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Cruel Sea tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Cruel Sea (1953)?
- In US, The Cruel Sea is available to stream on BFI Player Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Cruel Sea worth watching?
- The Cruel Sea holds an audience score of 7.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, war and history. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Cruel Sea?
- The Cruel Sea stars Jack Hawkins, Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliott, John Stratton and Stanley Baker.
- When was The Cruel Sea released?
- The Cruel Sea was released in 1953, with a runtime of about 126 minutes.