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The Silver Fleet
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Wikipedia article
'The Silver Fleet' is a 1943 British war film written and directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley and produced by Powell and Pressburger under the banner of "The Archers".
Plot
Early during the Second World War, the Nazis overrun the Netherlands and take a submarine shipyard where Jaap van Leyden is chief engineer. The German Gestapo "Protector" Von Schiffer asks van Leyden to cooperate with the new regime. While pondering his decision, van Leyden walks by a school and overhears a teacher telling her class of pupils about Piet Hein, a hero of Dutch lore who captured the Spanish silver fleet and inspired his compatriots to continue fighting for freedom. Van Leyden then decides to accede to Von Schiffer's request. In doing so, he undertakes a covert campaign of sabotage against the German Occupation, leaving notes and graffiti signed under his 'nom de guerre', "Piet Hein". Thus, van Leyden discretely enables 12 Dutch engineers to hijack a submarine during its trial run and sail it to England, along with its captured Nazi crew.
Later, after construction of a second submarine is completed, Van Leyden plants a bomb inside the sub's engine room, timed to go off the next morning. He then returns home to host a dinner party where he persuades several high-ranking German officials to accompany him on the submarine's maiden (and fatal) sea trial. However, Van Leyden's plans almost go awry when Dutch resistance fighter, Bastiaan Peters, sneaks into his house undetected and threatens to shoot him. But Van Leyden convinces him he is the patriot secretly operating under the persona of "Piet Hein". Bastien then diverts any suspicion from van Leyden by fatally shooting himself. The next morning, the submarine is disabled during its underwater trial when the planted bomb explodes and floods the engine room, dooming all on board, including van Leyden.
Cast
:'In order of appearance, as per ending credits'
* Ralph Richardson as Jaap Van Leyden
* Googie Withers as Helene Van Leyden
* Esmond Knight as von Schiffer
* Beresford Egan as Krampf
* Frederick Burtwell as Captain Muller
* Kathleen Byron as Schoolmistress
* Willem Akkerman as Willem Van Leyden
* Dorothy Gordon as Janni Peters
* Charles Victor as Bastiaan Peters
* Joss Ambler as Cornelis Smit
* Margaret Emden as Bertha
* George Schelderup as Dirk
* Neville Mapp as Joop
* Ivor Barnard as Admiral
* John Carol as Johann
* Lieut. Schouwenaar, R.N.N. as Captain of the U-boat
* Lieut. van Dapperen, R.N.N. as Lieutenant of the U-boat
* John Arold as Navigator of the U-boat
* Philip Leaver as Chief of Police
* Laurence O'Madden as Captain Schneider
* Anthony Eustrel as Lieutenant Wernicke
* Charles Minor as Bohme
* Valentine Dyall as Markgraf
Production
Some scenes were filmed in the town of King's Lynn.
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