Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

GetPapa Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

henryhertzhobbit This is just as bad and unconvincing as the other film "The Conqueror" that John Wayne made playing a Mongoliian war lord.First there has to be a note to the other inebriated reviewers of this film. The ship was in the German Merchant Marine. There is no North Sea storm. They are not heading for home in Germany and the captain played by John Wayne is not one of Hitler's supporters. The story line is ostensibly supposed to be that the captain heads out of Sydney harbor with a British naval captain in hot pursuit because the German captain takes his girl. Unbeknownst to the British naval captain "his girl" is suspected by the German captain as being a German spy for the Nazis. Where are they heading to? To Valparaiso, Chile where the captain and crew can hopefully wait out the war rather than rotting in some allied prisoner camp.Okay, what went wrong? The storyline should have been worked out well in advance for such a scenario. It wasn't. The captain should have been somebody like Curd (alias Kurt) Jurgens. Why didn't they do it? Because the director while maybe understanding naval matters was totally unversed in the intricacies of internaional politics. Lana Turner was eye candy that was totally unsuitable and should have been replaced by an unknown actress that was more convincing. The direction should have been nuanced with much greater subtlely so that you could believe it.John Wayne should have turned the role down and recommended Jurgens and another actress for the woman and said the director was unsuitable for anything other than an advisory capacity just to make sure they didn't pressure him into taking the part just for the money.In short, even if you are a John Wayne fan avoid this stinker if it comes your way.

wes-connors German naval captain John Wayne (as Karl Ehrlich) is near Australia as World War II beaks out. Although he is against Hitler's politics, Mr. Wayne decides he must return to his Axis fatherland. Along the way, he fights Allied forces. If watching the "all-American" Wayne in this wasn't ludicrous enough, throw in singing Nazi spy Lana Turner (as Elsa Keller). She boards ship and shipmates. Wayne tells Ms. Turner not to wear tight clothing because it's been so long since the men have had shore leave. Fortunately, she does not always follow directions. You need something to relieve boredom from "The Sea Chase" and Wayne is little help. The best parts involve Dick Davalos (as Stemme), Tab Hunter (as Wesser) and a shark attack. And, it's in "CinemaScope" with "WarnerColor".***** The Sea Chase (6/4/55) John Farrow ~ John Wayne, Lana Turner, Tab Hunter, Richard Davalos

ianlouisiana "Sea Chase" may often be dismissed as 50s kitsch but a look below the surface will reveal the sub - text of loyalty,patriotism,friendship, courage and responsibility.These are obviously important attributes and a film that explores them deserves to be taken a little more seriously than has previously been the case. Accepting the perhaps questionable premise that there were Nazi - hating officers in the German Merchant Navy at the outbreak of the second world war,it is reasonable to assume that they,like Mr Wayne,would display a "My country - right or wrong" attitude and rather than allow their ship to be captured by the enemy,would attempt a hazardous long voyage back home. Whilst stopping for provisions at Auckland Island,a Nazi crew member murders a group of stranded fishermen,an act that,when it is discovered by the pursuing Royal Navy,is classified as a War Crime and Wayne and his crew War Criminals. Stopping off at Valparaiso,Wayne is forced by the German Ambassador to fudge the truth for the sake of his county's reputation. Shamed by this act and appalled when he discovers the Nazis have betrayed his position to the British to allow ease of movement for Warships and to prevent the truth of the massacre at Auckland Island coming out,he orders his crew into the boats and makes a suicidal attempt to ram the ship pursuing him. As a former officer of the Imperial German Navy he would almost certainly be an aristocrat,certainly an autocrat who runs his ship with by a kind of benign dictatorship. His crew may not like him but they sure as hell respect him. Mr Wayne is about as Un-Germanic as is possible,but his, nationality is in fact irrelevant as he represents the decent man overtaken by events outside his control who does what he thinks best living by his own code. His opponent is a Britsh Naval Lieutenant - perhaps a little elderly for such a rank - a former friend whom Wayne has warned off about a German spy (Miss Lana Turner)to whom the Lieutenant has become engaged to be married.He is played by Mr D.Farrar who had a brief second string career portraying such types,but lacks any sort of substance. Wayne is forced by the German Consul in Sydney to take Miss Turner on board one step ahead of the British Security Service. There is one wonderful scene where she and Mr Lyle Betger(the Nazi responsible for killing the fishermen) listen to Wagner on the ship's phonograph,Miss Turner giving every impression of being transported by the music. The Duke falls for Miss Turner in a rare moment of vulnerability. Eventually Mr Farrar catches up with Duke's ship and blows it,Wayne,Miss Turner and Mr Betger out of the water. Then he reads the ship's log brought aboard by Mr J.Arness one of Wayne's rescued crew and discovers that Duke didn't commit a War crime after all,Betger did,but Wayne bore the responsibility of the act as a good captain should,I would like to think that Mr Farrar then thought "oh bugger!" but this was wartime so he probably didn't. A better movie,then,in my opinion,than it is usually taken for,"Sea Chase" highlights the supposition that good men can still do right even in the worst of times.

signalman57 This film is purely for entertainment and not of any historical background. Still, navy/sea warfare buffs will enjoy the story of the pursuit by a British destroyer of a German merchant ship across several oceans. The cast is so-so but with the "Duke" (John Wayne) in the lead role the story manages to limp along with some degree of success. The "destroyer" used in the film is in fact HMCS New Glasgow, a frigate then in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. I saw the movie shortly after it's release in 1955 while in my mid-teens; a number of years later I served on New Glasgow and recalled the part played by the ship and crew in the film. Shows how Hollywood will use any "prop" available to fill in scenes. The crew never did get any extra pay for their appearance (nor did the ship)but at least they have the satisfaction of knowing the true identity of the "destroyer." Despite all the above the film is good viewing and will be of interest to many.