Girls at Sea (1958 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Gilbert Gunn (director) |
| Products | Comedy film |
Girls At Sea is a British comedy film from 1958, directed by Gilbert Gunn and featuring performances by Guy Rolfe, Ronald Shiner, Alan White, Michael Hordern, and Anne Kimbell. The movie adapts the 1930 stage play The Middle Watch by Ian Hay and Stephen King-Hall, which had previously been turned into films in 1930 and 1940 under the original title.
Plot
During a stopover at the French Riviera, officers organize a lavish celebration aboard the battleship HMS Scotia. When the last available shore-boat is declared unsafe, three female visitors—Mary, Jill, and Antoinette—must remain overnight on the vessel. Before they can be taken ashore, the ship receives orders to proceed to naval exercises near Italy, prompting Captain Maitland to hide the women's presence from the admiral.
Cast
- Guy Rolfe as Captain Alwin Maitland
- Ronald Shiner as Marine Ogg
- Alan White as Commander
- Michael Hordern as Admiral Reginald Victor Hewitt
- Anne Kimbell as Mary Carlton
- Nadine Tallier as Antoinette
- Fabia Drake as Lady Kitty Hewitt
- Mary Steele as Jill Eaton
- Richard Coleman as Captain Robert "Bobby" Randall
- Lionel Jeffries as Harry, The Tourist
- Teddy Johnson as Singer
- Daniel Massey as Flag Lieutenant Courtney
- David Lodge as Corporal Duckett
- Warren Mitchell as Arthur
- Michael Ripper as "Jumper", Marine
- Mercy Haystead as Claudine
- Brian Wilde as Bill
- Harold Goodwin as Wal
- David Aylmer as Navigating Officer
- Richard Briers as "Popeye" Lewis
Critical reception
According to The Monthly Film Bulletin, The Middle Watch represents a typical repertory farce offering limited comedic value, with Michael Hordern's portrayal standing out despite the film's dependence on clichéd humor and its theatrical studio environment.
The Radio Times review compared this 1958 version unfavorably to the 1940 adaptation, pointing out stiff acting and superficial character development, though it commended Ronald Shiner's spirited performance and Hordern's commanding role.
TV Guide described it simply as "An amusing comedy," while Allmovie praised Hordern for his dryly humorous depiction of the beleaguered Admiral.
British film critic Leslie Halliwell tersely labeled it a "Vulgarized remake of The Middle Watch."