Search - Sailor of the King on DVD

A hidden gem among the Fox war classics!

Tim V. Balistreri | Sunnyvale, California | 03/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I caught this movie on American Movie Classics a few years ago and
hoped that one day it would be made available on DVD. Jeffrey
Hunter, a very underrated actor in one of his first starring roles,
is a Canadian sailor in England's Royal Navy. It is World War Two, and
his ship is hunting for a much-feared German battlecruiser. When his ship engages the cruiser in battle, the cruiser is damaged and his ship is sunk. He is taken prisoner aboard the German ship, and when the ship pulls into a remote island harbor for repairs, he escapes to the
island armed with a rifle and plenty of ammunition. He devises a plan
to shoot at the repair crews as they try to fix the ship, to delay
their departure. Doing that will give other Royal Navy ships time
to zero in on the cruiser's location and sink them.
A very good movie with a very satisfying ending...look for a pre-James
Bond Bernard Lee in a fine supporting role.

"Sailor of the King"...with a movie title like that, you can't go wrong.

Thanks, Fox!! Keep these greats coming!
"

Outstanding Neglected Gem!

cary grant | USA | 04/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bravo to Fox for releasing some of the less famous but still superior classics. This is a one of a kind. It clearly establishes Jeffrey Hunter as the most talented of the 1950's handsome hunks."

A long-lost Fox treasure -- great DVD print, too

Great Movie Addict | New York City | 08/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe not the greatest war flick ever made, but a worthy example of some highly competent work by Director Ray Boulting, one of the principles involved in the evolution of British Lion Films Corp. Though Boulting's later films were often little more than generic comedies (including some work with Peter Sellers), this film is a good example of his earlier, more "morally earnest" work. The hero, who undertakes a lone mission from which he knows he will not return, is contrasted with both a flaky English officer and a fatalistic German commander. Some years ago I read somewhere that this story of a single hero seaman was based on an actual incident from World War II. In any case, the combat sequences are superbly produced - no wonder, since Boulting himself saw similar combat during the period this story covers. The sniping sequence is beautifully executed and edited -- you really do feel as if you're up there in the rocks when the artillery barrage surrounds you. The DVD is among the best b&w transfers around - clean, clear, film-like, with little of the digital over-sharpening often seen with monochrome; and the camera work is exceptional. Performances from all are quite good. Jeffrey Hunter looks even better here than he did in John Ford's "The Searchers" - with looks and talent like his, one questions why Hunter didn't achieve superstar status. The plot itself seems as if it had undergone a major revision at some point: the beginning and ending sequences seem as if they were designed to support some message about heroism and individual responsibility. But the message is murky, as if the writers weren't quite willing to make the commitment. Had they done so the film likely would have been raised to a near-classic level. The middle action portion is superior to the start or finish and works well as an action movie on its own. You might get an idea about the script's supposed overall purpose by watching the alternate British ending, which was not shown in the USA (the original British title was "Single-Handed"). Deficiencies of message aside, this is a memorable combat film that apparently cost a King's ransom to produce. It's a simple tale, compellingly told."

Excellent Film

R. Anderson | Marquette, MI USA | 06/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'd been waiting for years for this film to be released on DVD.
This is a great story about man captured by the germans after his ship was sunk by them.
He manages to escape the germans after they have to pull into what amounts to a fiord
and manages to delay the repairs being done on the ship long enough to allow the british
fleet to arrive.
I don't want to give a lot of detail, just make it seem worth looking into.
If your a fan of WW II films this is a great one."