

The Ship That Died of Shame
“Brave men who drove their gallant ship into a sea of death!”
Synopsis
After World War II the crew of a motor gunboat join together to buy their old vessel and go into business for themselves. This may sound like a laudable scheme, but the business they choose to go into is smuggling.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →George Baker
Bill Randall
Richard Attenborough
George Hoskins
Bill Owen
Birdie
Virginia McKenna
Helen Randall
Roland Culver
Maj. Fordyce
Bernard Lee
Customs Officer Brewster
Ralph Truman
Sir Richard
John Chandos
Raines
Harold Goodwin
Customs Officer
John Longden
Detective
Alfie Bass
Sailor (uncredited)
Stratford Johns
Garage Worker (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 20, 1956
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 14, 2025
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Basil Dearden
- Screenplay & Story
- Basil Dearden, John Whiting, Michael Relph
- Original Score
- William Alwyn
- Original Title
- The Ship That Died of Shame
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Production Studios
- Ealing Studios
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden, John Whiting, Michael Relph, Nicholas Monsarrat
William Alwyn
Peter Bezencenet
Michael Relph, Basil Dearden
Department Leadership Roster
Basil Dearden
Screenplay
Michael Relph
Producer
John Whiting
Screenplay
Michael Relph
Screenplay
Basil Dearden
Director
Basil Dearden
Producer
Peter Bezencenet
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Ship That Died of Shame.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Ship That Died of Shame.
B Gardens
Full library from Vio, Sonarr, and Radarr - 9,053 items
Periodic import List
Film Noir
Classic-era film noir, 1940 to 1959.
4K UHD Movies
BD Release: Past-1960
Movies released in 4K Blu-ray format - Past-1960
Movies Being Released on 4K UHD Blu Ray
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Ship That Died of Shame
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Ship That Died of Shame about?
After World War II the crew of a motor gunboat join together to buy their old vessel and go into business for themselves. This may sound like a laudable scheme, but the business they choose to go into is smuggling.
Who directed The Ship That Died of Shame?
The Ship That Died of Shame was directed by Basil Dearden.
Who stars in The Ship That Died of Shame?
The principal cast of The Ship That Died of Shame includes George Baker, Richard Attenborough, Bill Owen, Virginia McKenna, Roland Culver.
When was The Ship That Died of Shame released and how long is it?
The Ship That Died of Shame was released in 1955 with a total runtime of 1h 35m.
Who composed the musical score for The Ship That Died of Shame?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Ship That Died of Shame was composed by William Alwyn.
Is The Ship That Died of Shame based on a book or true story?
The Ship That Died of Shame is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Nicholas Monsarrat".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Ship That Died of Shame?
The Ship That Died of Shame holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).



















