Made during the pre-Ealing comedy era, when the studio was turning out a slew of propagandist dramas with a documentary feel (others included WENT THE DAY WELL? (1942), and THE FOREMAN WENT TO France (also 1942)), SAN DEMETRIO London tells the story of a British merchant ship blown up in 1940. The crew spend some time marooned in a life-boat, but eventually return to the stricken ship and manage to patrol it back to safety in the United Kingdom.Co-directed by Charles Frend and Robert Hamer, the film has its roots in documentary, ranging from the use of stock footage to the way in which it examines the lives of ordinary sailors coping with extraordinary situations. The plight of Greaser John Boyle (Mervyn Johns) is sensitively handled, as he quite literally works himself to death and passes away at sea, dreaming of the nylon stockings he has bought for his wife as a present. He is given a funeral with full naval honors. Likewise Messboy John Jamieson's (Gordon Jackson's) transition from callow youth into mature deckhand is cleverly depicted, as some of his suggestions - initially dismissed as impractical by Chief Engineer Pollard (Walter Fitzgerald) turn out to be inspired, helping the crew survive their ordeal.The film as a whole extols the value of community, of human beings setting aside their regional and national differences and learning how to pull together in times of extreme stress. "Yank" Preston (played by the Canadian Robert Beatty), an American passing for a Canadian, begins the film as something of a rebel, preferring the bottle to the responsibility of hard work, but soon proves to be an invaluable member of the crew. It is he who provides the Bible so that Boyle can be given an appropriate send-off to the other world. Even though the bombing of British cities had largely ceased by 1943 - the time of the film's release - it was important that people on the Home Front bonded together to aid the war effort, and SAN DEMETRIO London fulfilled an important purpose in communicating this message.As befits a studio relying mostly on performances and directorial cunning rather than elaborate special effects, the film concentrates on characterization rather than incident. Some of the action sequences might seem a little rudimentary now - especially with the use of back-projections - but we have to remember that the film was produced under difficult conditions with a limited budget. Directors Frend and Hamer make skillful use of such constraints to produce a film that is at once surprisingly touching as well as stirring in its impact.

A very well made (especially for the period) war film. Though i'm not really gonna talk about how the film was made, other than it isn't flashy or fancy, just does a good job of telling a wonderful story. Based on the true story of how a Merchant Navy petrol tanker was abandoned and then re-boarded by some of her own crew.Also this is one of very few war films about the Merchant Navy (which suffered higher casualty and fatality rates than all the armed services), but it equally could be in peace time as only at the very start do you see Germans. Maybe thats why so few films were made about the Merchant Navy, whats a war film without some nasty Nazis in armbands with submachine guns running about and a few achtung minen signposts?Quite possibly the best thing I can say about this film is that after seeing this as a kid I wanted to join the Merchant Navy, and I did, and I'm training to be an Engineer Officer, as these film clearly shows engineers are brilliant and deckies useless.Engineers - 1, Deckies - 0.Paul.

The San Demetrio is a tanker that is apart of an trans-Atlantic convoy travelling to England from the States. When the convoy is attacked by an U-boat their destroyer is sunk and the San Demetrio is damaged very badly and the crew abandon ship. All the life boats are picked up but one boat drifts and is lost. Weeks later the crew in the lifeboat come across a ship, only to find that the San Demetrio has survived despite burning badly. The crew re-board the ship but find that getting the fire out is only the first of the dangers they must overcome.I must have read the wrong synopsis when I thought of watching this film – I thought it was a standard action packed film where the crew of a tanker battle against the u-boat. Regardless of this, I was glad I watched it as it was different from the usual wartime propaganda in some ways and was quite enjoyable, if not thrilling. The plot shows the men battle through difficult conditions and being heroes without realy thinking of it – they were just doing their duty and being themselves. This message is still important today and is told in a low-key way with the need for action etc.However, being low-key means that not all the tension of them being on a burning ship (that could explode) comes through. Likewise the majority of the danger they face remains with them and I never felt gripped or on the edge of my seat – the most I could say is that it was interesting rather than involving. The cast do well despite the irritating addition of an American to the cast (yes, the studios have been doing it that long!), but this is a minor annoyance. The rest are all good British stiff upper lips regardless of class or rank.Overall this is an enjoyable little film but I wanted it to be as exciting on the screen as it could have been. Sadly the low-key nature of the film makes the tension turn into more interest than edge-of-seat tension.

San Demetrio, London tells a simple story in a plain way. A merchant vessel from England sails to Galveston, picks up a cargo of oil and on the way back across the Atlantic is attacked. The crew abandon ship and later some of them re-board her and take her back home.It is an inspiring story because it tells of ordinary people getting on with the job that, due to a world war, has to be done. These are modest heroes. Problems that come their way are solved unfussily. No one expects medals, they just get on with it. Being a war film the characters are the usual cross section of society united by the common peril. In the cold and the darkness they do their duty. You feel these are real people, not just actors.This is not a spectacular film. The director does not go for high drama or self conscious acting. There is a death scene which is powerful in its understatement. The narrative is straight forward but exerts a gentle grip. You want to know what happens in the end. This is definitely an under rated film