The Silver Fleet is a 1943 British war film written and directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley and produced by Powell and Pressburger under the banner of "The Archers".

The Silver Fleet
Esmond Knight in a scene from the film
Directed by	Vernon Sewell Gordon Wellesley
Written by	Vernon Sewell Gordon Wellesley
Produced by	Michael Powell Emeric Pressburger
Starring	Ralph Richardson Googie Withers Esmond Knight
Cinematography	Erwin Hillier
Edited by	Michael C. Chorlton
Music by	Allan Gray
Distributed by	General Film Distributors
Release date	15 March 1943 (1943-03-15)
Running time	88 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

Early during the Second World War, the Nazis overrun the Netherlands and take a submarine shipyard where Jaap van Leyden is chief engineer. The German Gestapo "Protector" Von Schiffer asks van Leyden to cooperate with the new regime. While pondering his decision, van Leyden walks by a school and overhears a teacher telling her class of pupils about Piet Hein, a hero of Dutch lore who captured the Spanish silver fleet and inspired his compatriots to continue fighting for freedom. Van Leyden then decides to accede to Von Schiffer's request. In doing so, he undertakes a covert campaign of sabotage against the German Occupation, leaving notes and graffiti signed under his nom de guerre, "Piet Hein". Thus, van Leyden discretely enables 12 Dutch engineers to hijack a submarine during its trial run and sail it to England, along with its captured Nazi crew.

Later, after construction of a second submarine is completed, Van Leyden plants a bomb inside the sub's engine room, timed to go off the next morning. He then returns home to host a dinner party where he persuades several high-ranking German officials to accompany him on the submarine's maiden (and fatal) sea trial. However, his plans almost go awry when Dutch resistance fighter, Bastiaan Peters, sneaks into Van Leyden's house undetected and threatens to shoot him. But Van Leyden convinces Peters that he is the patriot secretly operating under the persona of "Piet Hein". Peters then diverts any suspicion from van Leyden by fatally shooting himself. The next morning, the submarine is disabled during its underwater trial when the planted bomb explodes and floods the engine room, dooming all on board, including van Leyden.

Cast

In order of appearance, as per ending credits

Production

Some scenes were filmed in the town of King's Lynn.

External links

• The Silver Fleet at IMDb
• The Silver Fleet at the BFI's Screenonline Full synopsis and film stills (and clips viewable from UK libraries).
• Reviews and articles at the Powell & Pressburger Pages