Rent Yangtse Incident (1957)
3.4 of 5 from 59 ratings
1h 48min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
On April 19th, 1949, HMS Amethyst, a frigate of the Royal Navy, left Shanghai for Woosung, and passage up the great Yangtse river to the Chinese capital. On a peaceful mission, the Amethyst was unexpectedly attacked by the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the north bank of the river. Taken by surprise, the amethyst ran aground. Many of the crew were killed. With rescue attempts blocked by the Chinese communist army, a skeleton crew refloat the ship, but, closely watched and covered by shore batteries, they are prisoners. For a long time the situation remains in deadlock, until finally, lieutenant-commander John S. Kerans realizes he must make a dangerous decision trust their captors to agree a deal, or run the gauntlet of communist batteries, down 140 miles of hostile territory. - Actors:
- Richard Todd, William Hartnell, Akim Tamiroff, Donald Houston, Keye Luke, Sophie Stewart, Robert Urquhart, James Kenney, Richard Leech, Michael Brill, Barry Foster
- Directors:
- Michael Anderson
- Studio:
- Optimum
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- inema Paradiso's 2023 Centenary Club: Part 2, People of the Pictures, Remembering Bernard Cribbins, Top 10 Best Picture Follow-Ups, Top Films
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Reviews (2) of Yangtse Incident
A Good Old Stiff Upper Lipper - Yangtse Incident review by Cato
Takes you back to the days when we had a proper navy sailing around foreign seas and getting into trouble big time. It involves Richard Todd and William Hartnell (1st Doctor Who!) fighting off naughty revolutionaries from China. I won't give it away!
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Naval Docudrama. - Yangtse Incident review by Steve
Patriotic version of a historic incident in 1949 when a British warship- the Amethyst- was shelled by a rebel army during the Chinese Civil War. The film takes great care not to be critical of British actions and instead delivers an exciting action film as the crew survive a long siege before making a daring escape.
There's a documentary style approach with East Anglia standing in for the Yangtse River and the Navy supplying actual battleships, including the Amethyst. The b&w photography is rather gorgeous. Eric Ambler's script covers the incident in great detail including tortuous negotiations with a Chinese Colonel (Akim Tamiroff under heavy makeup).
After the bombardment, Richard Todd arrives to co-ordinate the escape and patronise the survivors. He gives the film a big boost with his natural screen presence amplifying the officer's methodical command. William Hartnell emerges with the most dignity from the lower ranks, despite some idiotic- and racist- comic relief.
There is a preface which claims that the events are all absolutely true, though it doesn't define whose truth. But, setting this aside, and certain attitudes which are of their time, there remains a handsome and professionally made war film with excellent, realistic battle scenes and a rousing finale.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.