I saw this black-and-white short film on the DVD of "Atomic Journeys: Welcome to Ground Zero". It's the story of Britain's first test of an atomic bomb. Actually, it's a eulogy to the ship that carried the bomb and was blown up along with it, the River-class frigate HMS Plym. (A frigate is like an anti-submarine or convoy-escort destroyer, and I believe "River-class" refers to the naming convention, after British rivers.)
This film takes a rather melodramatic approach to its subject, starting with the last people to walk the ship's decks and the 8 1/2-minute countdown to detonation. Flashbacks describe Plym's honorable but unremarkable World War II service, the solemn yet glorious challenges of building the bomb, Plym's selection from the anonymity of the "mothball fleet" to such a high honor, the final trip to Australia, and the setup for the test. Jack Hawkins' sonorous narration adds to the portent of doom. I am led to think of Plym as almost a person--I understand the need for her sacrifice, and I mourn her passing.
I am pretty sure that William G. Penney, known as the father of the British atomic bomb, appeared (uncredited) as the chief atomic scientist.
This film takes a rather melodramatic approach to its subject, starting with the last people to walk the ship's decks and the 8 1/2-minute countdown to detonation. Flashbacks describe Plym's honorable but unremarkable World War II service, the solemn yet glorious challenges of building the bomb, Plym's selection from the anonymity of the "mothball fleet" to such a high honor, the final trip to Australia, and the setup for the test. Jack Hawkins' sonorous narration adds to the portent of doom. I am led to think of Plym as almost a person--I understand the need for her sacrifice, and I mourn her passing.
I am pretty sure that William G. Penney, known as the father of the British atomic bomb, appeared (uncredited) as the chief atomic scientist.
