Atlantic Ferry
| Atlantic Ferry a.k.a. Sons of the Sea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Walter Forde |
| Written by | Derek MacIver (story) Wynne MacIver (story) Gordon Wellesley Edward Dryhurst Emeric Pressburger |
| Produced by | Max Milder (uncredited) Culley Forde (associate producer) |
| Starring | Michael Redgrave Valerie Hobson Griffith Jones |
| Cinematography | Basil Emmott[1] |
| Edited by | Terence Fisher |
| Music by | Jack Beaver |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release dates |
|
| Countries | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
Atlantic Ferry (alternate U.S. title: Sons of the Sea) is a 1941 British film directed by Walter Forde and starring Michael Redgrave and Valerie Hobson.[2] It was made at Teddington Studios.
Plot[edit]
In 1837 Liverpool, brothers Charles and David MacIver have great faith in steam-powered ships. Their first attempt, the coastal freighter Gigantic, proves to be an embarrassing and costly failure, sinking immediately after being launched. David becomes discouraged and, to save their failing shipping firm, agrees to a merger proposed by longtime rival George Burns.
Charles, however, is undaunted, despite being turned down by every banker when he seeks new funding. He gives his share of the family firm to David and sets out on his own. He teams up with American Samuel Cunard and engineer Robert Napier, and they build the RMS Britannia. They win a British mail contract and make the first steamship crossing of the Atlantic, from Liverpool to Boston, in record time, despite a storm that threatens to sink the ship.
Romantic complications ensue when both brothers fall in love with Mary Ann Morison, the daughter of an important government shipping official. She agrees to marry David (before she becomes acquainted with his brother), but it is Charles who wins her heart.
Cast[edit]
- Michael Redgrave as Charles MacIver
- Valerie Hobson as Mary Ann Morison
- Griffith Jones as David MacIver
- Hartley Power as Samuel Cunard
- Margaretta Scott as Susan Donaldson
- Bessie Love as Begonia Baggot
- Milton Rosmer as George Burns
- Frederick Leister as James Morison
- Henry Oscar as Josiah Eagles
- Edmund Willard as Robert Napier
- Charles Victor as Tim Grogan
- Frank Tickle as Mr. Donaldson
- Leslie Bradley as Horatio Stubbs
- Felix Aylmer as Bank president
- Joss Ambler as Dr. Lardner
Reception[edit]
The film received neutral-to-negative reviews.[3][4][5]
According to Warner Bros. records, it earned $87,000 domestically and $16,000 foreign.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Love, Bessie (1977). From Hollywood with Love: An Autobiography of Bessie Love. London: Elm Tree Books. p. 154. OCLC 734075937.
- ^ "Atlantic Ferry (1941)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ^ Anderson, L.C. (25 April 1942). "What the Picture Did for Me". Motion Picture Herald. p. 51.
Put this one on the shelf. It won't suit folks who are accustomed to seeing good films made in America.
- ^ "Sons of the Sea (1942)". TCM.
- ^ "Sons of the Sea (1942)". AllMovie.
- ^ The William Shaefer Ledger, Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1–31 p. 22 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551
External links[edit]
- Atlantic Ferry at IMDb
- Sons of the Sea at AllMovie
- Sons of the Sea at the TCM Movie Database
- Film stills from Picture Show Annual
- 1941 films
- 1941 romantic drama films
- 1940s English-language films
- British black-and-white films
- British romantic drama films
- Films directed by Walter Forde
- Films scored by Jack Beaver
- Films set in Liverpool
- Films set in the 1830s
- Films set in the Atlantic Ocean
- Seafaring films
- Warner Bros. films
- 1940s British films