I first saw this excellent film on the old Saturday night at the movies more years ago than i care to admit. I will admit that i did NOT see the beginning of it,which is why when i watched it again years later that the scene between Michael Rennie and Wendy Hiller made no sense(I thought I was watching a different movie.) Be that as it may, Sailor of the king remains one of my all time favorites. It is well crafted,and the tension builds to a peak as the Essen pulls out of the grotto where it has gone for repairs, leaving Seaman Brown behind. In his first major film roll, Jeffrey Hunter is excellent. One can see the frustration on his face as the the Essen leaves.(only to be blasted out of the water by the British Navy.). I didn't realize that there were actually two endings filmed for this,one with a far happy ending, but true to the book, Brown on Resolution, on which it is based.According to film trivia both endings were shown to a preview audience and they opted for Brown being rescued. Michael Rennie and Wendy Hiller are pivotal to the story and excellent as always, but the film is all Jeffrey Hunter. I particularly enjoyed the scene at the end when Hunter is talking to Michael Rennie and Rennie tells them they will be putting into port in Brown's home town in Canada. Hunter says that he wants Rennie to meet his mother to which Rennie replies that he would be quite pleased(.....!) Then of course the King comes in and both snap to attention to the tune of God save the King...... goosebump time. I suspect that I should try to track down the alternative ending sometime.. Am not sure how the final scene would play out in it.
Review of Sailor of the King
