Born for Glory

A truly splendid idea: make a film about World War I, in the film-lookouts that were fashionable one hundred years ago. In this respect 'Forever England' is marvelous.

But unfortunately this film's plot provides us with the usual cheap stuff about the English, coming out superior against a bunch of slightly retarded Germans. This below-level picture is aggravated by the extensive use of boy scout-morals, insulting your common sense.

The reality from World War I was far different: a grim & merciless struggle. In the end Germany was defeated because its opponents England and France were greatly supported by the USA. Before this American intervention, England's superior navy deadlocked Germany's superior army.

C. S. Forester was wonderful at writing evocative seafaring yarns and this is one of his better stories. The film starts with couple of strangers who meet on a train and end up missing their connection and spending a few days together. Advance a few years and a powerful Nazi raider sinks a British warship and picks up the survivors. For one of them - "Albert Brown" (John Mills) the war isn't over and when the ship puts into a remote location to effect repairs, he steals a rifle and heads ashore from where he promptly takes pot shots at the repair crew. His plan is to delay the mending long enough for a pursuing Royal Navy flotilla to catch up and destroy the enemy ship. Walter Forde has assembled a strong cast of British actors - with a young Jimmy Hanley and Howard Marion-Crawford amongst them to keep the adventure moving along well, after a fairly slow start, that builds to an exciting denouement - and a question: could "Brown" be the result of that assignation many years earlier...?

When this film was remade by Fox in the fifties audiences were given a choice as to whether Brown lived or died.John Mills early in his film career gives an excellent performance as Brown.Also on his way up is a very young Jimmy Hanley.On her way down is Betty Balfour,star of the silent era,whose attempt at a comeback flopped.There were only two more film appearances after this.

This is a great film version of CS Forrestor's book of the same title.

I love the book and I love the movie.

Great story of determination in the face of long odds.

Brown one of two able seaman to survive a cruiser sinking after an engagement with a German cruiser is picked up by the damaged German cruiser.

The German cruiser needs repairs and chooses a bay on a rocky inhospitable island.

While the ship is immobile Borown steals a rifle and escapes ashore - he manages to snipe at the Germans repairing the ship for long enough for the rest of the British squadron to find and engage the German cruiser.

When his outmatched ship is sunk by a German one, John Mills is picked up by the Germans. When the Germans put into land to make repairs, Mills escapes with a rifle and determination that they will not make those repairs before a superior British ship can catch up with them.

It's a first for John Mills in a leading role -- although Betty Balfour as his mother is top-billed, her movie career was just about over. It's also a first credit for writer C.S. Forester, whose story this is based on.He wrote the novel on which the earlier PAYMENT DEFERRED (1932) was based, without a screen credit.

Director Walter Forde uses the skills he picked up in the silent cinema to tell the story visually; Mills' climbing atop the rocks and potting the repair workers is accompanied by some German speech, but Mills must use pantomime to convey his thoughts. It must have been an educational experience for his career, which would extend into the 21st Century.