Review of In Which We Serve (Special Edition)

Introduction

"In Which We Serve" has already been released on DVD, coming as a bare-bones edition in 1999. This new "Special Edition" adds a documentary and trailer on top of what we`ve already had, and you`ll have to pay an extra £6.00 for the privilege.

This war film was made in 1942 and tells the story of the HMS Torrin through the eyes of those who served in her.

Video

The video is presented in 4:3 full-frame and given the 60 year vintage of the film, isn`t too bad. There is quite a bit of dirt and the picture is quite grainy, but it is better than other wartime movies I`ve seen.

Films made during the war obviously had limited budget and scope for use of locations, and many suffer from being all too obviously made in the studio. "In Which We Serve" is no exception, with plenty of rear projection and numerous special effects that are less than convincing.

The film opens at the shipyard when the ship is being built, and looks very like a propaganda/public relations film, and this general feel good factor is present throughout.

Audio

Like the video, any 60 year old film isn`t going to provide reference quality sound, but the Dolby Digital Mono soundtrack is perfectly adequate and faithfully reproduces the dialogue and sound effects.

Features

Aside from the biographies and stills, the disc features the original trailer and a 23 minute documentary.

The documentary is interesting and includes input from Coward`s biographer, the director of photography, Sir John Mills and others involved with the movie.

Conclusion

Overall, like most movies made during World War 2, the main purpose of this movie was propaganda, and to lift the spirits of a nation ravaged by the war. It meets both of these objectives with ease, and considering the difficulties of the time is reasonably well made despite some dubiosu looking effects.

The main attraction is the way in which the story is told through the eyes of the crew, and strong performances help to deliver the script effectively. The film is best described as harmless Sunday afternoon viewing - not especially exciting, but good enough to hold your attention.

If you`ve already got the movie-only edition, it certainly is not worth paying another £16 for this disc only to get the trailer and documentary. In reality, the existing £10 Carlton offers better value than this new Special Edition - an extra £6 for a documentary is hard to justify unless you are a huge fan.