Seven Waves Away (alternate US title: Ignore Ships! and Seven Days From Now ) is a 1957 British drama film starring Tyrone Power, Mai Zetterling, Lloyd Nolan, and Stephen Boyd. When his ship crashed, an officer had to make an agonizing decision on the overcrowded lifeboat.
Richard Sale adapted the movie from his 1938 short story of the same name, originally published by Scribner's Magazine. The plot has something in common with the sinking of the American ship William Brown in 1841. The William Brown struck an iceberg 250 miles from Newfoundland and lost 31 of its 65 passengers. Two boats with 17 crew and remaining passengers fled from shipwreck, but more than a dozen passengers were sacrificed from the crowded longboat.
Although no direct acknowledgment by the filmmakers, the film ends with a more-voiced voice, "The story you have just seen is true.In real life, Captain [sic] Alexander Holmes was brought to trial on murder charges, convicted and sentenced to a minimum of six months due to unusual circumstances surrounding the incident. "
Video Seven Waves Away
Plot
The SS Crescent Star luxury ship sank in seven minutes after attacking a mine stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, carrying almost all of the 1,156 people inside. Twenty-seven survivors gathered in a single lifeboat designed to accommodate only nine. The dying captain handed the order to the executive officer of Alec Holmes. Holmes later learned of Clark's "Sparks", the ship's radio operator, that both transmitters were destroyed before a relief call could be sent. Holmes decided to try to reach the nearest land, Africa, 1,500 miles away.
With a major storm approaching, ship engineer Frank Kelly warned Holmes that overloaded ships would be flooded unless some passengers were removed. Kelly who was badly injured then sacrificed herself by jumping into the sea. Holmes decides to get rid of the old and wounded, over the shocking protests of his girlfriend, nurse ship Julie White. When he ordered Will McKinley's crew to throw out a woman who was unconscious, McKinley obeyed, then jumped after him. One by one, Holmes sends others to a certain death, until there are 15 remaining on the ship. Passengers Edith Middleton observes that an atomic scientist, brilliant playwright, and a famous former opera singer have been sacrificed to save two devout "apemen", blackmailers, and cowards. Passenger Michael Faroni demanded Holmes return for another. When Holmes refused, Faroni seriously injured him on the shoulder with a folding knife and was in turn shot dead with a flare gun.
A light lifeboat that lights up the storm and the rest is thanking Holmes for saving them. Realizing that he is now an obligation because of his wound, Holmes throws himself into the sea, but Julie takes him back to the ship. Then they saw a ship. When it comes to picking them up, the others, with the exception of Julie White and Edith Middleton, quickly distance themselves from Holmes's actions.
Maps Seven Waves Away
Cast
- Tyrone Power as Executive Officer of Alec Holmes
- Mai Zetterling as Julie White
- Lloyd Nolan as Captain Frank Kelly
- Stephen Boyd as Will McKinley
- Moira Lister as Edith Middleton
- James Hayter as "Cookie" Morrow
- Finlay Currie as Mr. Wheaton
- John Stratton as Jimmy "Sparks" Clary
- Victor Maddern as Willy Hawkins
- David Langton as John Hayden
- Eddie Byrne as Michael Faroni
- Noel Willman as Aubrey Clark
- Moultrie Kelsall as Daniel Cane
- Robert Harris as Arthur J. Middleton
- Gordon Jackson as John Merritt
- Orlando Martins as Sam Holly
See also
- Sea Soul , a 1937 Henry Hathaway film was also based on the incident of William Brown
- Lifeboat , 1944 Alfred Hitchcock Movie
- Movie survival, about movie genres, with related movie list
References
External links
- Seven Waves Away in the TCM Film Database
- Seven Waves Away on IMDb
- Seven Waves Away at AllMovie
- Abandon Ship at the American Film Institute Catalog
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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