The Key (1958 film)

The Key

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1958
Founder	Carol Reed (director)
Headquarters	United Kingdom, United States
Products	War film

The Key is a 1958 British-American war film set against the backdrop of the 1941 Battle of the Atlantic. Adapted from Jan de Hartog's 1951 novel Stella—which was later reissued under the titles The Distant Shore and The Key—the movie was helmed by director Carol Reed and features performances by William Holden, Sophia Loren, and Trevor Howard.

The narrative unfolds around a flat in wartime Britain, regarded as unlucky by a succession of Royal Navy tug captains entrusted with rescuing damaged vessels in the perilous expanse known as "U-boat Alley." Each new captain inherits not only the flat and its Swiss resident, Stella, but also the ominous reputation linked to them. The latest commander must confront his apprehensions while developing a deepening bond amid hazardous rescue operations.

Plot

David Ross (portrayed by William Holden), an American and former tugboat captain now serving in the Canadian Army, receives a commission in the Royal Navy and takes on alternating command of W88, a twin-screw rescue tug currently docked for repairs after sustaining battle damage. His predecessor had taken his own life. These slow-moving, minimally armed tugs undertake salvage missions for freighters crippled near British waters, constantly threatened by attacks from U-boats and enemy aircraft.

David reconnects with his old companion Captain Chris Ford (Trevor Howard), who commands another tug vessel. After surviving two separate assaults, Chris introduces David to Stella (Sophia Loren), his partner who wears a wedding ring. Stella had been engaged to Philip Westerby, another tug captain who died before their marriage could take place. Van Barger, a friend of Chris and former occupant of the flat, entrusted Chris with a key to ensure Stella’s welfare should anything happen. Chris urges David to assume this responsibility.

David assumes command from Van Dam (Oskar Homolka), who imparts that fear itself is the greatest adversary. After Chris proposes to Stella and she agrees, she foresees his demise on an upcoming mission—which tragically comes to pass.

Though initially hesitant to move into the flat, David is taken aback when Stella resists intimacy but gradually wins her affection. She discards mementos connected to Philip and previous captains, removes her wedding ring, ventures outside the flat for the first time since Philip’s death, and ultimately offers marriage herself.

Following America’s entry into the war, David’s subsequent task involves escorting an American freighter whose inexperienced crew repeatedly sends continuous S.O.S. signals against orders, thereby revealing their position. Aware that this likely spells certain death, David accepts the mission but entrusts his flat key to Kane (Kieron Moore), Chris’s former subordinate.

David’s tug sustains heavy damage during a U-boat attack; he commands abandonment of ship before ramming the submarine. After being rescued and returning home, he discovers Kane at the flat informing Stella that David has been killed. When Stella encounters David alive, she angrily expels Kane for betraying her confidence. Later, Kane informs David that Stella is departing for London; although David misses her train, he vows to locate her.

Cast

• William Holden as Lt. Commander David Ross, RNR
• Sophia Loren as Stella
• Trevor Howard as Lt. Commander Chris Ford, RNR
• Oskar Homolka as Captain Van Dam, sharing command of the tug with David
• Kieron Moore as Lieutenant (later Lt. Commander) Kane, RNR
• Bernard Lee as Lt. Commander Wadlow, RN; leader of the tug fleet
• Beatrix Lehmann as Housekeeper
• Noel Purcell as Hotel Porter
• Bryan Forbes as Lieutenant Weaver, RNR; mate aboard W88
• Sidney Vivian as Grogan
• Rupert Davies as Baker
• Russell Waters as Sparks
• Irene Handl as Clerk
• John Crawford as American Captain
• Jameson Clark as English Captain

Production

Two distinct conclusions were created for The Key. Sources such as Turner Classic Movies and the New York Times indicate that one ending depicts David successfully boarding the train, resulting in a "happy" resolution. The alternate ending, reportedly designed to comply with the American Motion Picture Production Code, shows David missing the train but determined to locate Stella. Although the Production Code Administration surprisingly approved the optimistic ending, some copies of the more somber version were circulated during the film's initial release.

A British film history examining PCA oversight presents a somewhat different narrative: following a rejection in 1952, Carl Foreman revived the project in 1957 and was presented with two narrative options—one featuring an asexual dynamic between Stella and the captains, and another centered on "sin and retribution," where Stella's relationship ends. The latter storyline was submitted and received certification in June 1958.

Carol Reed’s biography aligns with this account, noting that the original European finale had David missing the train, symbolizing his futile promise to find Stella. The more upbeat U.S. conclusion was a conventional adaptation intended for American viewers.

De Hartog's novel Stella revolved around Dutch tugboat captains escaping to England in 1940, a theme reflected in Captain Van Dam’s character, which drew from real events, alongside a British woman named Stella. Casting William Holden and Sophia Loren necessitated script changes to situate them in England in 1941; historically, having an American serving as a Royal Naval Reserve captain during early World War II was plausible.

Shooting occurred aboard H.M.S. Restive (W39), an Assurance-class Admiralty tug belonging to the Royal Navy at that time.

Reception

In 1958, Kinematograph Weekly classified the film as "in the money" at the British box office, remarking that although it "did not meet expectations... it still generated significant revenue." Variety included it among Britain’s twelve most popular films that year. The movie achieved $2.2 million in rentals across North America.

Awards

Trevor Howard received the BAFTA Best British Actor Award in 1958 for his role.