The Silver Fleet (1943): Cast & Plot
The Silver Fleet is a 1943 war drama directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley, starring Ralph Richardson as Jaap van Leyden, Googie Withers and Willem Akkerman. It runs 1 hour 24 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 24m (84 min)
- Directors
- Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- The Archers
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Silver Fleet About?
The premise of The Silver Fleet without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Jaap van Leyden runs a shipyard in the newly occupied Netherlands. He initially works with the German occupiers, seeing it as the safest option for his family and workers. When a child's rhyme rekindles his sense of patriotism, he wrestles with how to sabotage the Nazis without putting his wife and employees in mortal danger.
The Silver Fleet Themes & Keywords
· 13 tags- war propaganda
- nazi occupation
- waterfront
- collaboration with nazis
- nazi occupied netherlands
- british actor playing foreigner
- british actor playing dutch character
- foreigner playing dutch character
- shipbuilder
- dutch resistance
- sabotage
- submarine
+1 more Show fewer
- patriotism
The Silver Fleet Cast & Characters
Ralph Richardson leads the cast as Jaap van Leyden, with Googie Withers as Helène van Leyden and Willem Akkerman as Willem van Leyden. Directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley; 19 actors are credited in all.
- Co-director Vernon Sewell
- Co-director Gordon Wellesley
-
Ralph Richardson as Jaap van Leyden - Googie Withers as Helène van Leyden
- Willem Akkerman as Willem van Leyden
-
Esmond Knight as Von Schiffer
Also Starring in The Silver Fleet
· 15 more- Charles Victor Bastiaan Peters
- Dorothy Gordon Janni Peters
- Ivor Barnard Admiral
- Kathleen Byron Schoolmistress
- Valentine Dyall Markgraf
- John Longden Jost Meertens
- Joss Ambler Cornelis Smit
- Anthony Eustrel Lieutenant Wernicke
- Frederick Burtwell Captain Müller
- Philip Leaver Chief of Police
- John Carol Johann
- Lawrence O'Madden Captain Schneider
- Beresford Egan Krampf
- Neville Mapp Joop
- Margaret Emden Bertha
More from Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley
More films directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley: Burke & Hare, Curse of the Crimson Altar, A Matter of Choice and Strongroom.
The Silver Fleet Plot Summary
What happens in The Silver Fleet from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Early in the Second World War, the Nazis overrun the Netherlands and seize control of a submarine shipyard where Ralph Richardson plays Jaap van Leyden, the shipyard’s chief engineer. The German Gestapo “Protector” Esmond Knight Von Schiffer presses him to cooperate with the occupiers. While weighing his options, van Leyden passes by a grade school and overhears a teacher telling her class about Piet Hein, a Dutch hero who captured the Spanish silver fleet and inspired his compatriots to keep fighting for freedom. The tale stirs a spark of defiance in him, even as the weight of occupation presses down around him.
Full summary
The whole story of The Silver Fleet, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Silver Fleet?
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
The Silver Fleet opens with Nazi Germany invading which country?
Cars in The Silver Fleet
4 cars on screen, including the 1936 Packard One-Twenty and the 1937 Standard Flying Twelve.
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1936 Packard One-Twenty Minor role -
1937 Standard Flying Twelve Minor role -
1939 Ariel W/NG Background role -
1940 Standard Beaverette Mk.II Background role
The Silver Fleet Also Known As
3 alternative titles, including “Stříbrná flotila” and “P.H. contre Gestapo”.
- Also known as
-
- Stříbrná flotila
- P.H. contre Gestapo
- Silverflottan
Seen The Silver Fleet?
Movies Like The Silver Fleet
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Operation Amsterdam, The Silent Raid and Soldier of Orange.
The Silver Fleet FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Silver Fleet, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Silver Fleet?
The Silver Fleet runs 1 hour 24 minutes (84 minutes).
When was The Silver Fleet released?
The Silver Fleet was released on March 15, 1943.
Who directed The Silver Fleet?
The Silver Fleet was directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley.
More films by Vernon Sewell Who is in the cast of The Silver Fleet?
The Silver Fleet stars Ralph Richardson as Jaap van Leyden, Googie Withers as Helène van Leyden and Willem Akkerman as Willem van Leyden, among 19 credited actors.
Does The Silver Fleet have a post-credit scene?
No. The Silver Fleet has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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