Seagulls Over Sorrento
Seagulls Over Sorrento | |
---|---|
Ernesto de Curtis | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Loew's, Inc. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | $675,000[1] |
Box office | $939,000[1] |
Seagulls Over Sorrento is a 1954 British
Plot
A small group of British sailors stationed on a Scottish island engaged in top-secret research on a new and dangerous torpedo are joined by a US Navy scientist, Lt. Brad Bradville (Gene Kelly), and his assistants. When several tests of the weapon fail, and men are killed, tensions within the group mount. Bradville must prove that the torpedo can work and win over the British, especially Lt. Rogert Wharton (John Justin), before the Admiralty pulls the plug on the project.
Cast
- Gene Kelly as Lt. "Brad" Bradville (USN)
- John Justin as Lt. Roger Wharton
- Bernard Lee as Able Seaman "Lofty" Turner
- Jeff Richards as Torpedoman 2d Class "Butch" Clelland (USN)
- Sid James as Able Seaman Charlie "Badge" Badger
- Patric Doonan as Petty Officer Herbert
- Ray Jackson as Able Seaman "Sprog" Sims
- Fredd Wayne as Torpedoman 2d Class "Shorty" Karminsky (USN)
- Patrick Barr as Cmdr. Sinclair
- David Orr as Able Seaman "Haggis" Mackintosh
- John Horsley as John Phillips - Medical Officer
- Lockwood West as Curly - Stores Petty Officer
- Harry Van Engel as Able Seaman Dawson
- John Fabian as Lieutenant Lane
- Peter Bathurst as Geoff
- Martin Boddey as Member of Admiralty Board
- Ronald Adamas Member of Admiralty Board
- John Rolfe as Wireless Operator
Original play
The original stage play was written by Australian playwright
The play ran for over 1,600 performances in London.[7][8] Film rights were sold to the Boulting Brothers for £10,000.[9][10]
Production
Because the play – in which all the characters were British, and the emphasis was more on the enlisted men than in the film – was a hit, MGM retained the title for the film everywhere except in the US and Canada, where the title Crest of the Wave was used.[5]
Although set on a Scottish island, the movie was filmed in Jersey and at Fort Clonque on Alderney in the Channel Islands, with interiors filmed at MGM's British studios at Borehamwood, Elstree.[5] Production took place between 4 May and late July 1953. The corvette monitoring the tests was HMS Hedingham Castle (pennant F386).
MGM was contractually obligated not to release the film until Seagulls Over Sorrento finished its West End run, which delayed the film's release until 13 July 1954, almost a year after filming had completed. The film then premiered in New York City on 10 November of that year, and went into general American release on 6 December.[12]
Reception
According to MGM records the film earned $349,000 in the US and Canada and $59,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $58,000.[1]
Filmink magazine wrote that:
The guts of the play – the adventures of ordinary seamen – was still there, but was greatly truncated in order to make room for a whole new plot about the officers conducting the torpedo experiments... [and] a new subplot added about the clash between American and British methods... In hindsight, this was a bad decision. I don’t think there was anything wrong with adding action or even Americans...but taking the focus away from ordinary seamen and emphasising the officers was totally contrary to the DNA of Seagulls Over Sorrento.... The Gene Kelly-MGM Seagulls of Sorrento was a hybrid, part-action film, part-abridged version of the play; audiences sensed it and stayed away. Still, it’s not a bad watch, with pleasing photography and location work, and superb performances from Sid James and Bernard Lee (Lofty).[13]
1960 Australian TV adaptation
The film was adapted for Australian television in 1960.
Scapa
Hastings later did a musical version of his play called Scapa which debuted in London in 1962. It received terrible reviews.[14]
References
Notes
- ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- ^ Johnson and Smiedt 1999, p. 130.
- The Sunday Herald, 20 November 1949, p. 6. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
- ^ TCM "Screenplay info: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d TCM "Notes: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
- ^ "Seagulls Over Sorrento". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
- ^ " Australian wrtiter' big success in U.K." The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 November 1952, p. 3. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
- ^ "People in the news." The Sunday Times, Perth, 5 December 1954, p. 2. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
- The Mail, 12 August 1950, p. 9. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
- ^ "Australian's play is big hit in West End." The Australian Women's Weekly, 24 February 1951, p. 15. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
- ^ TCM Music: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
- ^ IMDB Release dates: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'." IMDb. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
- ^ Vagg, Stephen (20 December 2020). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Seagulls Over Sorrento". Filmink.
- ^ "Aust Show Under Fire". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 March 1962. p. 5.
Bibliography
- Johnson, Rob and David Smiedt. Boom-Boom: A Century of Australian Comedy. Sydney, Australia: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999. ISBN 978-0-7336-0938-1.
External links
- Seagulls Over Sorrento at IMDb
- Seagulls Over Sorrento at the better source needed]
- Seagulls Over Sorrento at the TCM Movie Database
- Seagulls Over Sorrento at AllMovie