Gift Horse (1952): Cast & Plot
Gift Horse is a 1952 war drama directed by Compton Bennett, starring Trevor Howard as Lt. Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser, Peter Bathurst and Dora Bryan. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 35m (95 min)
- Director
- Compton Bennett
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Molton
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Gift Horse About?
The premise of Gift Horse without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Compton Bennett’s war drama follows the ageing destroyer The Ballantrae and her crew, tracking their fortunes from their assembly in 1940 through to the daring 1942 raid on occupied St Nazaire. Trevor Howard portrays Lt. Cmdr. Hugh Alginon Fraser, a newly appointed captain returning to service after a court‑martial that forced him out of the navy.
Gift Horse Themes & Keywords
· 21 tags- 1940s
- destroyer
- american navy
- british navy
- transfer
- dry dock
- occupied france
- german navy
- raid
- suicide mission
- disgraced officer
- old destroyer
+9 more Show fewer
- destroyers for bases agreement
- uk us agreement
- u.s. navy warship
- saint nazaire
- nazi occupation
- world war two
- royal navy
- german army
- based on true story
Gift Horse Cast & Characters
Trevor Howard leads the cast as Lt. Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser, with Peter Bathurst as Commander C.E. Spencer and Dora Bryan as Glad Flanagan. Directed by Compton Bennett; 19 actors are credited in all.
- Director Compton Bennett
-
Trevor Howard as Lt. Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser - Peter Bathurst as Commander C.E. Spencer
- Dora Bryan as Glad Flanagan
- Sonny Tufts as Yank Flanagan
Also Starring in Gift Horse
· 15 more- Richard Attenborough Dripper Daniels
- Bernard Lee A.S. 'Stripey' Wood
- James Donald Lt. Richard Jennings, No. 1
- Sid James Ned Hardy, Landlord Golden Bull
- William Russell Crewman
- Charles Lloyd Pack Captain R. G. Bates (Board of Inquiry)
- Meredith Edwards Jones
- Hugh Williams Captain David G. Wilson
- Robin Bailey Lt. Michael Grant, Pilot
- Harold Siddons Adm. Bartlett
- Patric Doonan Petty Officer Martin
- Joan Rice June Mallory, WRNS cypher officer
- Chris Adcock Crewman (uncredited)
- Tim Turner Crewman (uncredited)
- John Forrest Appleby the Captain's Steward
Gift Horse Plot Summary
What happens in Gift Horse from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
During the Second World War, the Royal Navy is desperately short of personnel, and the story centers on a man who has been set aside by the service but is brought back into action. Lieutenant Commander Fraser had been court-martialled eight years earlier, yet he is summoned to take command of the aging destroyer HMS Ballantrae — a small, “four‑pipe” Town‑class vessel that carries the weight of a long wartime burden. The ship itself carries the memory of another era, having once been the USS Whittier, and its crew faces the challenge of turning a venerable, creaking hull into a credible fighting unit assigned to convoy escort duties.
Full summary
The whole story of Gift Horse, scene by scene
Gift Horse Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Gift Horse.
How Well Do You Know Gift Horse?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the destroyer that Lieutenant Commander Fraser commands?
Gift Horse Also Known As
7 alternative titles, including “Glory at Sea” and “Commando sur Saint-Nazaire”.
- Also known as
-
- Glory at Sea
- Commando sur Saint-Nazaire
- Operaatio Normandia
- Caballo Regalado
- Il cacciatorpediniere maledetto
- 荣耀在海上
- Ein Fressen für die Fische
Seen Gift Horse?
Movies Like Gift Horse
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Gift, Gallant Bess and In Which We Serve.
Gift Horse FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Gift Horse, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Gift Horse?
Gift Horse runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).
When was Gift Horse released?
Gift Horse was released on June 1, 1952.
Who directed Gift Horse?
Gift Horse was directed by Compton Bennett.
More films by Compton Bennett Who is in the cast of Gift Horse?
Gift Horse stars Trevor Howard as Lt. Cmdr Hugh Alginon Fraser, Peter Bathurst as Commander C.E. Spencer and Dora Bryan as Glad Flanagan, among 19 credited actors.
Does Gift Horse have a post-credit scene?
No. Gift Horse has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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