The Silent Enemy (film)
Encyclopedia
The Silent Enemy is a 1958 action film directed by William Fairchild. It stars Laurence Harvey
as Lionel "Buster" Crabb
and describes his exploits during World War II
. Based on Marshall Pugh
's book Commander Crabb, it was made following the publicity created by Crabb's mysterious disappearance and likely death during a cold war
incident a year earlier.
The film depicts events in Gibraltar
harbour during the World War II
Italian frogman and manned torpedo attacks, although the film's depiction of those events is highly fictionalised.
in which two British battleships were sunk. The British are worried that this new Italian tactic will give the enemy naval supremacy in the Mediterranean. From Spain, an Italian expert on underwater operations is secretly watching the British base in Gibraltar and planning new attacks.
Maverick diver Lionel Crabb is brought in to head the British response. He creates a team of divers to intercept the Italian attacks and defuse the bombs. The Italians plan a major attack on a British convoy, but Crabb and another diver manage to infiltrate the Spanish docks from which the Italians are planning the attack, identifying the ship (the Olterra) which the Italians attack from. Crabb leads an unauthorised pre-emptive strike on the ship carrying the torpedoes and destroys it, winning the George Medal
.
In the film Crabb dives on the wreck of a recently crashed B-24 Liberator
that had gone into the sea just after taking off from Gibraltar Airport
. This scene was based on the accident in 1943 in which Polish general Władysław Sikorski was killed. In the film the submerged wreck of an Avro Shackleton
is used as a stand-in for the Liberator.
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey was a Lithuanian-born actor who achieved fame in British and American films.- Early life :Harvey maintained throughout his life that his birth name was Laruschka Mischa Skikne. However, his legal name was Zvi Mosheh Skikne. He was the youngest of three boys born to Ber "Boris" and...
as Lionel "Buster" Crabb
Lionel Crabb
Lionel "Buster" Crabb OBE, GM was a British Royal Navy frogman and MI6 diver who vanished during a reconnaissance mission around a Soviet cruiser in 1956.-Early life:...
and describes his exploits during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Based on Marshall Pugh
Marshall Pugh
Marshall Pugh is a British journalist and author. He wrote a book called Commander Crabb based on the true story of a British officer who learned deep sea diving to thwart Italian frogmen who were sabotaging British naval forces...
's book Commander Crabb, it was made following the publicity created by Crabb's mysterious disappearance and likely death during a cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
incident a year earlier.
The film depicts events in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
harbour during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Italian frogman and manned torpedo attacks, although the film's depiction of those events is highly fictionalised.
Plot
The story begins with a dramatisation of the Italian manned torpedo raid on Alexandria (1941)Raid on Alexandria (1941)
The Raid on Alexandria was carried out on 19 December 1941 by Italian Navy forces attacking Royal Navy forces in the harbour of Alexandria.-Background:...
in which two British battleships were sunk. The British are worried that this new Italian tactic will give the enemy naval supremacy in the Mediterranean. From Spain, an Italian expert on underwater operations is secretly watching the British base in Gibraltar and planning new attacks.
Maverick diver Lionel Crabb is brought in to head the British response. He creates a team of divers to intercept the Italian attacks and defuse the bombs. The Italians plan a major attack on a British convoy, but Crabb and another diver manage to infiltrate the Spanish docks from which the Italians are planning the attack, identifying the ship (the Olterra) which the Italians attack from. Crabb leads an unauthorised pre-emptive strike on the ship carrying the torpedoes and destroys it, winning the George Medal
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
.
Inaccuracy
This movie does not represent real events accurately. In particular, in the real world there was no attack on the Olterra, and no underwater hand-to-hand battle between Italian and British frogmen. The breathing sets used by the film actors representing the Italian frogmen seem to be British naval type rebreathers and not authentic Italian rebreathers. The three manned torpedoes seen in the movie, representing Italian maiali, were film props.In the film Crabb dives on the wreck of a recently crashed B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
that had gone into the sea just after taking off from Gibraltar Airport
Gibraltar Airport
Gibraltar Airport or North Front Airport is the civilian airport that serves the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. It is owned by the Ministry of Defence for use by the Royal Air Force as RAF Gibraltar. Civilian operators use the airport; currently the only scheduled flights operate to the...
. This scene was based on the accident in 1943 in which Polish general Władysław Sikorski was killed. In the film the submerged wreck of an Avro Shackleton
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
is used as a stand-in for the Liberator.
Cast
- Laurence HarveyLaurence HarveyLaurence Harvey was a Lithuanian-born actor who achieved fame in British and American films.- Early life :Harvey maintained throughout his life that his birth name was Laruschka Mischa Skikne. However, his legal name was Zvi Mosheh Skikne. He was the youngest of three boys born to Ber "Boris" and...
as Lieutenant Lionel Crabb, R.N.V.R. - Dawn AddamsDawn AddamsDawn Addams was an English actress in motion pictures of the 1950s.-Life and career:She was born Victoria Dawn Addams in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Ethel Mary and Captain James Ramage Addams. Her mother died when she was young, and she spent her early life in Calcutta, India...
as Third Officer Jill Masters, W.R.N.S. - Michael CraigMichael Craig (actor)Michael Craig is a British actor, known for his work in film and television in both the United Kingdom and Australia. Craig was born in Poona, Maharashtra, British India, the son of Donald Gregson, a captain in the 3rd Indian Cavalry. He came to England with his family when aged three, and went to...
as Leading Seaman Knowles - John ClementsJohn ClementsSir John Selby Clements, CBE was an English actor and producer who worked in theatre, television and film.Clements attended St Paul's School and St John's College, Cambridge University then worked with Nigel Playfair and afterwards spent a few years in Ben Greet's Shakespearean Company. He made...
as The Admiral - 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 Chief Petty Officer Thorpe - Alec McCowenAlec McCowenAlexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
as Able Seaman Morgan - Nigel Stock as Able Seaman Fraser
- Ian Whittaker as Ordinary Seaman Thomas
- Arnoldo FoàArnoldo FoàArnoldo Foà is an Italian film actor. He has appeared in over 130 films since 1938. He was born in Ferrara, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Un giorno nella vita * Bellezze in bicicletta...
as Tomolino - Gianna Maria CanaleGianna Maria CanaleGianna Maria Canale was an Italian actress.- Biography :Canale was born in Reggio Calabria. In 1947, at the Miss Italia beauty contest, won by Lucia Bosè, she placed second. Canale received publicity in many Italian magazines after this. Her looks were compared to those of Ava Gardner...
as Conchita - Massimo SeratoMassimo SeratoMassimo Serato, born Giuseppe Segato, was an Italian film actor with a career spanning over 40 years.Serato was born in Oderzo, Veneto, Italy and started appearing in films in 1938. He played leading roles in several historical dramas and sword and sandal epics, mainly Italian, as well as roles in...
as Forzellini - Giacomo Rossi-StuartGiacomo Rossi-StuartGiacomo Rossi-Stuart was an Italian film actor often credited as Jack Stuart. He appeared in over 80 films between 1953 and 1989.He was born in Todi, Italy and died in Rome, Italy....
as Rosati - Carlo Giustini as Fellini
- Raymond Young as Celloni
- David LodgeDavid Lodge (actor)David William Frederick Lodge was a British character actor.Before turning to acting he worked as a circus clown...
as Sergeant - Ewen SolonEwen SolonEwen Solon was a New Zealand-born actor, who worked extensively in both the United Kingdom and Australia....
as Willowdale Captain - Brian OultonBrian OultonBrian Oulton was an English character actor.Born in Liverpool, he made his acting debut in 1939 as a lead actor...
as Holford - Howard Marion-CrawfordHoward Marion-CrawfordHoward Marion-Crawford , the grandson of writer F. Marion Crawford, was an English character actor, best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in the 1954 television adaptation of Sherlock Holmes...
as Wing Commander - Cyril ShapsCyril Shaps-Biography:Shaps was born in Highbury, London; he was of Polish ancestry and his father was a tailor.He was a child broadcaster, providing voices for radio commercials at the age of 12. After grammar school and Army service he trained at RADA and then worked for two years as an announcer, producer...
as Miguel - Lee MontagueLee MontagueLee Montague is an English actor noted for his roles on film and television, usually playing tough guys.Film credits include: Moulin Rouge, The Camp on Blood Island, The Savage Innocents, Billy Budd, The Secret of Blood Island, Deadlier Than the Male, The Legacy and Brother Sun, Sister...
as Miguel's Mate - John LeeJohn Lee (actor)John Lee was an Australian actor.He is remembered for his roles on television, including Andrew Reynolds in Prisoner and Philip Stewart in Return to Eden....
as Flag Lieutenant - Terence LongdonTerence LongdonTerence Longdon was an English actor. Longdon, born in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire was best known for his lead role in the 1950s-1960s British TV series Garry Halliday where he played a Biggles-like pilot who flew into various adventure situations. In film he was Drusus, Messala's personal...
as Lieutenant Bailey - Ian MacNaughtonIan MacNaughtonEdward Ian Macnaughton was a Scottish former actor-turned-television producer/director, best known for his work with the Monty Python team...
as Sentry outside Admiral's Office - Alan WebbAlan Webb (actor)-Biography and Career:Educated at Bramcote School, Scarborough, and RN Colleges Osborne and Dartmouth. He served in the Royal Navy.Webb's early days were spent performing with the Lena Ashwell Players , J. B. Fagan's Oxford Players , The Croydon Repertory Company , and the Old Vic-Sadler's Wells...
as British Consul - John MoffattJohn Moffatt (actor)John Moffatt is an English actor and playwright, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Hercule Poirot on BBC Radio....
as Diving Volunteer - Harold SiddonsHarold SiddonsHarold Siddons was a British film and television actor, appearing in Genevieve, The Dam Busters, Appointment in London, They Who Dare, The Purple Plain, Quatermass and the Pit, A Night To Remember and The Wrong Arm of the Law...
as Army Interrogation Officer - Michael Brill as Naval Interrogation Officer