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The guts of the play – the adventures of ordinary seamen – was still there, but was greatly truncated in order to make room for a whole new plot about the officers conducting the torpedo experiments... a new subplot added about the clash between
American and British methods... In hindsight, this was
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finished its West End run, which delayed the film's release until 13 July 1954, almost a year after filming had completed. The film then premiered in New York City on 10 November of that year, and went into general
American release on 6 December.
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Because the play – in which all the characters were
British, and the emphasis was more on the enlisted men than in the film – was a hit, MGM retained the title for the film everywhere except in the US and Canada, where the title
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was a hybrid, part-action film, part-abridged version of the play; audiences sensed it and stayed away. Still, it’s not a bad watch, with pleasing photography and location work, and superb performances from Sid James and
Bernard Lee
319:), and his assistants. When several tests of the weapon fail, and men are killed, tensions within the group mount. Bradville must prove that the torpedo can work and win over the British, especially Lt. Rogert Wharton (
301:. Although the film finished shooting in July 1953, MGM could not release it in the United Kingdom until the play finished its London run, which delayed the film's release for almost a year. It was released as
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a bad decision. I don’t think there was anything wrong with adding action or even
Americans...but taking the focus away from ordinary seamen and emphasising the officers was totally contrary to the DNA of
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A small group of
British sailors stationed on a Scottish island engaged in top-secret research on a new and dangerous torpedo are joined by a US Navy scientist, Lt. Brad Bradville (
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520:'s song "Torna a Sorrento" ("Come Back to Sorrento"), is performed on the concertina by David Orr, and was also used as background music throughout the film.
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According to MGM records the film earned $ 349,000 in the US and Canada and $ 59,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $ 58,000.
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The play ran for over 1,600 performances in London. Film rights were sold to the
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on 14 June 1950, and was a hit there, but played for only two weeks on
Broadway in New York City.
507:. Production took place between 4 May and late July 1953. The corvette monitoring the tests was
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and was one of three made by Kelly in Europe over an 18-month period to make use of frozen
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and was based on his experiences in World War II. It opened in London's
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which debuted in London in 1962. It received terrible reviews.
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MGM was contractually obligated not to release the film until
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The original stage play was written by
Australian playwright
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Although set on a
Scottish island, the movie was filmed in
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Hastings later did a musical version of his play called
817:"Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Seagulls Over Sorrento"
323:), before the Admiralty pulls the plug on the project.
773:, 24 February 1951, p. 15. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
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played the same role in the London stage production.
856:. Sydney, Australia: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999.
756:, 12 August 1950, p. 9. Retrieved: 10 January 2014.
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378:as Torpedoman 2d Class "Shorty" Karminsky (USN)
354:as Torpedoman 2d Class "Butch" Clelland (USN)
651:"Screenplay info: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'."
766:"Australian's play is big hit in West End."
715:" Australian wrtiter' big success in U.K."
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854:Boom-Boom: A Century of Australian Comedy
800:Release dates: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'."
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360:as Able Seaman Charlie "Badge" Badger
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815:Vagg, Stephen (20 December 2020).
674:"Notes: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'."
396:as John Phillips - Medical Officer
390:as Able Seaman "Haggis" Mackintosh
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784:Music: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento'."
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960:1950s English-language films
749:"£10,000 for play by Austn."
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838:. 11 March 1962. p. 5.
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679:. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
656:. Retrieved: 21 April 2016.
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372:as Able Seaman "Sprog" Sims
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286:with sets designed by the
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282:. It was shot at MGM's
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408:as Able Seaman Dawson
256:play of the same name
553:Seagulls of Sorrento
438:as Wireless Operator
342:as Lt. Roger Wharton
297:taking place in the
1000:1950s British films
154:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
904:TCM Movie Database
414:as Lieutenant Lane
243:is a 1954 British
862:978-0-7336-0938-1
637:The Sunday Herald
518:Ernesto de Curtis
474:Crest of the Wave
384:as Cmdr. Sinclair
304:Crest of the Wave
295:location shooting
262:. The film stars
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172:Release date
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135:Miklós Rózsa
125:Max Benedict
88:Roy Boulting
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59:Frank Harvey
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458:Bernard Lee
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412:John Fabian
376:Fredd Wayne
370:Ray Jackson
346:Bernard Lee
340:John Justin
321:John Justin
276:Bernard Lee
272:John Justin
105:Bernard Lee
101:John Justin
83:Produced by
41:Directed by
930:1954 films
924:Categories
587:References
476:was used.
467:Production
436:John Rolfe
334:Gene Kelly
317:Gene Kelly
264:Gene Kelly
248:drama film
229:Box office
200:92 minutes
183:1954-07-13
146:Production
97:Gene Kelly
532:Reception
388:David Orr
358:Sid James
232:$ 939,000
224:$ 675,000
121:Edited by
16:1954 film
915:AllMovie
753:The Mail
698:IBDB.com
556:(Lofty).
489:Alderney
454:West End
420:as Geoff
213:Language
131:Music by
93:Starring
67:Based on
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891:at the
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505:Elstree
491:in the
483:and at
216:English
205:Country
181: (
148:company
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481:Jersey
221:Budget
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592:Notes
581:Scapa
574:Scapa
293:with
882:IMDb
858:ISBN
803:IMDb
782:TCM
672:TCM
649:TCM
509:HMS
327:Cast
311:Plot
278:and
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487:on
268:MGM
258:by
245:war
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