Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
A British naval officer has a brief affair with a woman in England and never knows that she bears him a son. 20 years later the boy is on a ship under his command when he is tracking a German Raider. When the boy is captured after his ship is sunk he finds a way to slow the German's progress while a lethal hunt for him goes on.System Requirements:Run Time: 83 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 024543432951 Manufacturer No: 2243295

Amazon.com:
Based on the WWI adventure novel Brown on Resolution by C.S. Forester, Sailor of the King is an enjoyable British-made war drama buoyed by its energetic star, Jeffrey Hunter, and an exciting and suspenseful premise. The picture opens on a slow note with British Navy captain Michael Rennie ending a tryst with English girl Wendy Hiller; years later, the product of that union is British-Canadian sailor Jeffrey Hunter, whose ship is dispatched to intercept a powerful German warship by now-Admiral Rennie. The ensuing fight sinks Hunter's ship and damages the German boat, but Hunter evades capture and hunkers down on the island where the Nazi captain (Peter Van Eyck) has docked for repairs; there he wages a one-man assault against the ship using only a rifle and his own skills. Roy Boulting's direction is crisp and assured, and the cast, especially the underappreciated Hunter (in his first leading role), is uniformly fine, which should make Sailor of the King a worthwhile discovery for WWII action fans. The DVD includes two endings--the original British release, which adds to the Rennie-Hiller relationship, and the pat American conclusion. -- Paul Gaita

Rating : - Great story of heroism
I saw this movie years ago on a VHS recording someone else had made when it was shown on a commercial TV channel. Even then, I thought it was a great story. It's based on the 1929 C. S. Forester novel "Brown on Resolution." However, Forester's novel was set in World War 1 around the naval battles of Coronel and the Falklands, while this movie was reset in World War 2 with fictional naval encounters.

But, the movie begins in World War 1 when a young naval officer (Michael Rennie) has a chance meeting on a train and brief affair with a young woman (Wendy Hiller). She refuses his offer of marriage and they part, apparently, for good. Then the movie cuts to the beginning of World War 2 when a British squadron of light cruisers is chasing down a German surface raider. Seaman Brown (Jeffrey Hunter), a Canadian in the RN, is a top-notch sailor, best at his job as signalman, and the best rifle marksman in the fleet. Brown's ship is sent ahead by the squadron commander, Michael Rennie, but the ship's encounter with the German raider results in a loss with all hands but two, Brown and another sailor, who has lost his leg. However, the raider has taken damage that requires repair in some secluded spot.

On the German ship, Brown refuses to give information to the German captain about the squadron chasing him, insisting that his ship was operating alone. Nevertheless, the captain suspects that a larger squadron is after him and he must make repairs quickly and get away. They pull into a small inlet on Resolution Island off the coast of South America and begin repairs. During the night, with the encouragement of his wounded comrade, Brown escapes from the ship, steals a rifle and ammunition, and takes position on the island.

When dawn breaks, Brown begins sniping the work crews effecting repairs. This stops all work and severely delays the Germans' departure. The Germans fire blindly into the cliffs where Brown is hidden, but as soon as they resume repairs, he starts firing again. He keeps up his attacks despite wounds and intense thirst. A final attempt to land troops under cover of fire to get Brown is called back after the ship's repairs are complete and the Germans must be underweigh.

Just as they are emerging from the inlet, Rennie and his squadron appear and finish off the raider. A German officer's report after he is captured informs Rennie that a British sailor on Resolution has held them up single handedly. The story ends with Rennie and Brown awaiting a ceremony with the king where Rennie will be knighted and Brown will receive the Victoria Cross. Brown is also awaiting the arrival of his mother from Canada, Wendy Hiller.

This is a classic adventure story with true heroes and enemies who are simply foemen, not villainous monsters. The acting is superb. Hunter does a great job as seaman Brown: young, enthusiatsic, devoted to duty. Rennie and Hiller, though really in supporting roles, are terrific as young lovers who meet and part in wartime. The DVD also contains an alternate ending to the story.