November 21 - Brittanic

This movie has a scene that happens today – November 21. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

BRITTANIC

The HMS Britannic sets sail for Greece to serve as a hospital ship during the Great War. Vera Campbell is on board as a British agent seeking a suspected German spy. Her cover is a governess to the two children of Lady Lewis, William and Sarah whose husband is the new British ambassador to Greece. Chaplin Reynolds is a German spy and is plotting with Irish crewmen to seize the ship and expose to the world the weaponry the hospital ship is illegally.  Vera is terrified because she was also on the Titanic. Vera spots a suspicious meeting of some of the plotters. When a crewman, Evans, sees Reynolds looking at the weapons, Reynolds kills him. The Irish attempt to seize the ship is foiled by Vera’s attention to details and quick thinking. Reynolds deflects any suspicion attaching to himself by shooting one of his own men once he sees the plot has failed.  Reynolds helps the one man who was caught escape, but the man is killed. Reynolds remained undetected. Vera’s attention to the details prevents a torpedo attack on the ship from succeeding. On shore in Naples, Vera sees Reynolds have a suspicious meeting. The two later share a night of passion.  On November 21, 1916 [59:45 to 1:31:54] Vera finds out Reynolds is the spy because he is missing a button, like the killer of Evans.  Reynolds kills the doctor and knocks out Vera. He then opens all watertight doors and destroys their control mechanism. He sets off an explosion, even though Vera shoots him. William Lewis goes to look for Vera. Reynolds helps her find him and is then trapped. Vera goes back to save Reynolds. They barely make it off the ship and he sacrifices himself to save her. The ship sinks with a loss of thirty people.  

A completely historically inaccurate film. There was no evidence the Britannic was carrying weapons. Nor is there any evidence the Germans tried to sink her. However, it is better as entertainment than it is as history.

Titanic’s Last Secrets by Brad Matson (Hachette Book Group, New York, 2008) at page 243 gives the date of the sinking

Producer - Paul Colichman

Director - Brian Trenchard-Smith

Runtime – 1 hour 33 minutes

Released - January 10, 2000 

Starring –

Edward Atterton as Chaplain Reynolds

Amanda Ryan as Vera Campbell

Jacqueline Bisset as Lady Lewis

Ben Daniels as Townsend

John Rhys-Davies as Captain Barlett

Bruce Payne as Doctor Baker

Alex Ferns as Stoker Evans

Eleanor Oakley as Sarah Lewis

Archie Davies as William Lewis

Ed Stobart as Mayfield

Adam Bareham as Britannic's Radio Operator

David Lumsden as German Radio Operator

Wolf Kahler as Captain Kruger

Philip Rham as Jurgens

Daniel Coonan as Seamus

Daniel Tatatrsky as Martin

Martin Savage as Sweeney

Francis Magee as Reilly

Niven Boyd as Captain Helm

David Begg as Armed Sailor

John Atkin as Guard

Sean Baker as Colonel Marston

Susannah Wise as Nurse