Sons of the Sea

SONS OF THE SEA aka Atlantic FERRY (1941) is another of those hands across the seas pictures meant too solidify the relationship of Great Britain and the U.S.A. Though a Warner Brothers (WB) release this is a British production and the cast reflects this as well as the rather 'cheesy' production values. If you can ignore its technical short-comings the cast does a fine job. Lead by Michael Redgrave, who is a little too much 'stiff upper lip' and the luminous Valerie Hobson, who never disappoints.

If the plot of the development of trans-Atlantic Steam-Ship travel seems familiar, it is. Two (2) years earlier Paramount released RULERS OF THE SEA (1939) featuring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Margaret Lockwood as the romantic leads. Which we also rate IMDb******Six (6). Its main advantage was having Gordon Jennings head of the SFX department at Paramount and that Mr. Fairbanks Jr. is a FAR more engaging lover then Mr. Redgrave. If his lack of 'sex-appeal' had been typical of Englishmen the Country would be depopulated!

Both films are a enjoyable matinée watch and if you can view them 'back to back' you will see the contrast in production styles. The WB did not invest as much into their production as did Paramount. Neither are 'classics', but worth watching every few years.