The Captain's Table (Original title)
Dates: 1958 (Copyright), 02 February 1959 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Jack Lee
Synopsis: Comedy. Albert Ebbs, who has worked on cargo ships, is given the chance to captain a luxurious ocean liner on a voyage from England to Australia. If all goes well, he will remain a captain; if not, he will be sacked. Looked after by his solicitous valet Burtweed, Ebbs begins his command with some uncertainty, wearing too-small trousers to dinner, failing to entertain his guests at table, allowing the bullying Major Broster (a friend of Sir Angus, who owns the line) to have his way with every demand and remaining unaware of the embezzlement racket that the dishonest purser coordinates with other crew members. He warns the crew not to be involved with drinking or womanising while at sea, yet he is enthusiastically pursued by the seductive and determined Mrs Porteous, who is travelling without her husband. So Ebbs takes Burtweed's advice to ward off romance by pretending he is married, with a photo (provided by Burtweed) of his 'wife and children' placed on his desk. Meanwhile, Ebbs seems more of a kindred spirit with young widow Mrs Judd, who is helpful to him when he overdoes the hospitality with a crew member in his cabin's private bar. Gradually, Ebbs finds his footing and the ship reaches port, longing to tell Mrs Judd that he is not really married.
Genre: Comedy
Subjects: Ships, Captains, Embezzlement
Dates: 1958 (Copyright), 02 February 1959 (Release)Country: United KingdomDirected by: Jack Lee
Synopsis: Comedy. Albert Ebbs, who has worked on cargo ships, is given the chance to captain a luxurious ocean liner on a voyage from England to Australia. If all goes well, he will remain a captain; if not, he will be sacked. Looked after by his solicitous valet Burtweed, Ebbs begins his command with some uncertainty, wearing too-small trousers to dinner, failing to entertain his guests at table, allowing the bullying Major Broster (a friend of Sir Angus, who owns the line) to have his way with every demand and remaining unaware of the embezzlement racket that the dishonest purser coordinates with other crew members. He warns the crew not to be involved with drinking or womanising while at sea, yet he is enthusiastically pursued by the seductive and determined Mrs Porteous, who is travelling without her husband. So Ebbs takes Burtweed's advice to ward off romance by pretending he is married, with a photo (provided by Burtweed) of his 'wife and children' placed on his desk. Meanwhile, Ebbs seems more of a kindred spirit with young widow Mrs Judd, who is helpful to him when he overdoes the hospitality with a crew member in his cabin's private bar. Gradually, Ebbs finds his footing and the ship reaches port, longing to tell Mrs Judd that he is not really married.
Genre: Comedy
Subjects: Ships, Captains, Embezzlement
Credits
(50)
©/Production Company: The Rank Organisation Film Productions Ltd, Presents: The Rank Organisation, closing logo: British and Dominions Film Corporation, Released by: Rank Film Distributors, Executive Producer: Earl St. John, Produced by: Joseph Janni, Production Manager: Peter Manley, Production Controller for Pinewood Studi: Arthur Alcott, [Production Secretary]: Maureen Hensby, Assistant Director: Stanley Hosgood, [Assistant Director (2nd)]: Ron Jackson, [Assistant Director (3rd)]: Barrie Melrose, Continuity: Penny Daniels, [Casting]: Weston Drury Jr, Screenplay by: John Whiting, Screenplay by: Bryan Forbes, Nicholas Phipps, From the the novel by: Richard Gordon, Director of Photography: Christopher Challis, Camera Operator: Dudley Lovell, [Focus Puller]: Bernard Ford, [Clapper Loader]: Ian McMillan, Film Editor: Frederick Wilson, [Assistant Editor]: Geoffrey Fry, [Assistant Editor (2nd)]: Cyril Simon, Art Director: Michael Stringer, [Assistant Art Director]: Terence Morgan, [Draughtsman]: Brian Bishop, [Draughtsman]: Tony Rimmington, [Draughtsman]: Michael White, Alan Fraiser, Costume Designer: Joan Ellacott, Make-up: George Blackler, Hairdresser: Stella Rivers, Processed by: The Rank Laboratories, Music Composed and Conducted by: Frank Cordell, Sound Recordist: Geoffrey Daniels, Bill Daniels, [Sound Camera Operator]: Charles Arnold, Sound System: Westrex Recording System, [Boom Operator]: Pat Wheeler, [Assistant Boom Operator]: Harry Fairbairn, Sound Editor: Arthur Ridout, [Assistant Sound Editor]: Olive Magill, Vera Dover, Thanked in credits: Orient Line, [Publicity Director]: Harry Gillard, [Unit Publicist]: Brian Doyle, Made at: Pinewood Studios
Cast
(42)
John Gregson (Captain Albert Ebbs), Peggy Cummins (Mrs Judd), Donald Sinden (Shawe-Wilson), Nadia Gray (Mrs Daphne Porteous), Maurice Denham (Major Broster), Richard Wattis (Prittlewell, purser), Reginald Beckwith (Burtweed), Bill Kerr (Bill Coke), Nicholas Phipps (Reddish), John Le Mesurier (Sir Angus), Lionel Murton (Bernie Floate), Joan Sims (Maude Pritchett), Miles Malleson (Canon Swingler), James Hayter (Earnshaw), June Jago (Gwenny Coke), John Warner (Henry Lomax), Nora Nicholson (Mrs Lomax), Beth Rogan (Rosemary), Joseph Tomelty (Dalrymple), Harry Locke (Hole), Lynne Cole (Janine), Yvonne Buckingham (Yvonne, chosen life-jacket volunteer), Ed Devereaux (Brickwood), Rosalie Ashley (Annette), Donald Churchill (Jay), Robert Reardon ([meat loader]), Roland Curram ([sailor in kindergarten room]), Heather Downham ([girl in sports car]), Roger Maxwell ([Fred, bridge player]), Olive Chen ([Chinese girl]), Harry Brunning ([1st parson]), Sam Kydd ([sailor opening water valve]), Anthony Wager ([Tony Millington]), Bill Edwards ([Dickie Maggs]), Peggy Ann Clifford ([Alice in photograph]), Fred Griffiths ([plumber]), Harold Goodwin ([Matthews]), David Williams ([Australian policeman]), David Aylmer ([Harold]), Wendy Peters ([Wendy]), Jean Rollins ([Jennifer]), Gillian Watt