Seagulls Over Sorrento
Encyclopedia
Seagulls Over Sorrento is a 1954 British wartime
drama film
made by the Boulting Brothers based on the play of the same name by Hugh Hastings. The film stars Gene Kelly
and was one of three made by Kelly in Europe over an 18 month period in order to make use of frozen MGM funds. The cast features John Justin
, Bernard Lee
and Jeff Richards
.
Although the film finished shooting in July 1953, MGM could not release it in the UK until the play finished its London run, which delayed the film's release for almost a year. In the United States, the film was titled Crest of the Wave.
), 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 notes:
Although set on a Scottish island, the movie was filmed on the Channel Islands
, more specifically on Jersey
and Alderney
, with interiors filmed at MGM's British studios at Boreham Wood, Elstree
. Production took place between 4 May and late July 1953.
Ernesto de Curtis
's song "Torna a Sorrento" ("Come Back to Sorrento"), is performed on the concertina by David Orr, and was also used as background music throughout the film.
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 completed. The film then premiered in New York City on 10 November of that year, and went into general American release on 6 December.
An Australian television production of the stage play was produced by Crawford Productions
for Melbourne's HSV-7
, airing on May 1, 1960. The cast included Brian James
, Bill Hodge, Stuart Wagstaff
, Frank Taylor, Peter Aanensen, Carl Bleazby, Don Crosby, Mark Kelly, and John Norman. Hodge, James, Taylor, and Bleazby had appeared in the 1952 J.C Williamson production of the play.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
made by the Boulting Brothers based on the play of the same name by Hugh Hastings. The film stars Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
and was one of three made by Kelly in Europe over an 18 month period in order to make use of frozen MGM funds. The cast features John Justin
John Justin
John Justin was a British stage and film actor.John Justinian de Ledesma was born in London, England, the son of a well-off Argentine rancher. Though he grew up on his father's ranch, he was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset...
, Bernard Lee
Bernard Lee
John Bernard Lee was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven James Bond films.-Life and career:...
and Jeff Richards
Jeff Richards (baseball player/actor)
Jeff Richards , was an American minor league baseball player with the Portland Beavers who later became an actor. He was sometimes credited as Dick Taylor and Richard Taylor.-Early life and career:...
.
Although the film finished shooting in July 1953, MGM could not release it in the UK until the play finished its London run, which delayed the film's release for almost a year. In the United States, the film was titled Crest of the Wave.
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 U.S. Navy scientist, Lt. Brad Bradville (Gene KellyGene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
), 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
John Justin
John Justin was a British stage and film actor.John Justinian de Ledesma was born in London, England, the son of a well-off Argentine rancher. Though he grew up on his father's ranch, he was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset...
), before the Admiralty pulls the plug on the project.
Cast
- Gene KellyGene KellyEugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
as Lt. "Brad" Bradville (USN) - John JustinJohn JustinJohn Justin was a British stage and film actor.John Justinian de Ledesma was born in London, England, the son of a well-off Argentine rancher. Though he grew up on his father's ranch, he was educated at Bryanston School, Dorset...
as Lt. Roger Wharton - Bernard LeeBernard LeeJohn Bernard Lee was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven James Bond films.-Life and career:...
as Seaman "Lofty" Turner - Jeff RichardsJeff Richards (baseball player/actor)Jeff Richards , was an American minor league baseball player with the Portland Beavers who later became an actor. He was sometimes credited as Dick Taylor and Richard Taylor.-Early life and career:...
as Seaman D. "Butch" Clelland (USN) - Sid JamesSid JamesSid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona...
as Seaman Charlie "Badge" Badger - Patric DoonanPatric DoonanPatric Doonan was a British stage and screen actor. He featured in films of the time as The Blue Lamp, Train of Events and The Cockleshell Heroes but never played the leads...
as Petty Officer Herbert - Ray Jackson as Seaman "Sprog" Sims
- Fredd Wayne as Seaman N. Sam "Shorty" Kaminsky (USN)
- Patrick BarrPatrick BarrPatrick David Barr was a British film and television actor.Born in Akola, India, Patrick Barr went from stage to screen with The Merry Men of Sherwood . He spent the 1930s playing various beneficent authority figures and "reliable friend" types...
as Cmdr. Sinclair - David Orr as Haggis Mackintosh
Cast notes:
- Bernard Lee played the same role in the London stage production.
Production
The original stage play was written by Australian playwright Hugh Hastings and was based on his experiences in World War II. It opened in London's West End on 14 June 1950, and was a hit there, but played for only two weeks on New York's Broadway. 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 U.S. and Canada, where the title Crest of the Wave was used.Although set on a Scottish island, the movie was filmed on the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, more specifically on Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
and Alderney
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
, with interiors filmed at MGM's British studios at Boreham Wood, Elstree
Elstree
Elstree is a village in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire on the A5 road, about 10 miles north of London. In 2001, its population was 4,765, and forms part of the civil parish of Elstree and Borehamwood, originally known simply as Elstree....
. Production took place between 4 May and late July 1953.
Ernesto de Curtis
Ernesto De Curtis
Ernesto De Curtis was an Italian composer.Born in Naples, the son of Giuseppe De Curtis and Elisabetta Minnon, he was a great-grandson of composer Saverio Mercadante and the brother of poet Giambattista De Curtis, with whom he wrote the song "Torna a Surriento"...
's song "Torna a Sorrento" ("Come Back to Sorrento"), is performed on the concertina by David Orr, and was also used as background music throughout the film.
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 completed. The film then premiered in New York City on 10 November of that year, and went into general American release on 6 December.
An Australian television production of the stage play was produced by Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions
Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...
for Melbourne's HSV-7
HSV-7
HSV is a television station in Melbourne. It is part of the Seven Network, one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, and its first and oldest station, having been launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne....
, airing on May 1, 1960. The cast included Brian James
Brian James (actor)
Brian James was an Australian actor, best remembered for his roles on television. He was born in Victoria.He began his TV career in the late 1950s as Dr Geoffrey Thompson in the early medical drama Emergency for which he won a coveted 'Logie' award...
, Bill Hodge, Stuart Wagstaff
Stuart Wagstaff
Stuart Wagstaff AM is an Australian television and stage entertainer.- Early life :Wagstaff was born in Great Durnford, Wiltshire, England, and grew up on a farm with his parents and two older sisters. His father was very strict and emotionally abusive, and he received little affection from his...
, Frank Taylor, Peter Aanensen, Carl Bleazby, Don Crosby, Mark Kelly, and John Norman. Hodge, James, Taylor, and Bleazby had appeared in the 1952 J.C Williamson production of the play.