The Gift Horse

The Gift Horse - 1952 | 101 mins | War, Drama | B&W

The Production Team

Director: Compton Bennett.
Producer: George Pitcher.
Script: William Rose, Hugh Hastings and William Fairchild. (based on a story by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts)
Cinematography: Harry Waxman.
Editing: Alan Osbiston.
Art Direction: Edward Carrick.
Sound Department: Jack Slade.
Original Music: Clifton Parker.

The Cast

Trevor Howard - Lieutenant Commander Hugh Fraser
Richard Attenborough - Dripper Daniels
Sonny Tufts - Yank Flanagan
James Donald - Lieutenant Richard Jennings
Joan Rice - June Mallory
Bernard Lee - A.S. 'Stripey' Wood
Dora Bryan - Glad
Hugh Williams - Captain
Robin Bailey - Lieutenant Michael Grant
Meredith Edwards - Jones
John Forrest - Appleby
Patric Doonan - Petty Officer Martin
Sid James - Ned Hardy

Plot Synopsis

World War II drama commencing in Nova Scotia, 1940. Fraser (Trevor Howard), a court-martialled lieutenant-colonel is recruited to captain the 'Ballantrae', a decrepit, ageing US destroyer loaned made to Britain under the lend-lease agreement. He makes enemies of the crew for his iron discipline and apparent incompetence, and he is on the way to his second court-martial when, after improved performance, the 'Ballantrae' is chosen to spearhead a dangerous raid on the German-occupied French port of St Nazaire.