The Battle of the River Plate

The Battle of the River Plate

The penultimate film from the celebrated teaming of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger ('Black Narcissus', 'A Matter of Life and Death') tells the true story of the famous 1939 naval battle. Hans Langsdorff (Peter Finch) is captaining the crack German battleship Graf Spee through the South Atlantic, unaware that a small number of lightweight British battle cruisers are hot on his trail. When the British cruisers manage to trap the powerful German ship in the Uruguayan harbour of Montevideo, they attempt to trick Langsdorff into believing that an entire battle fleet is waiting to destroy his vessel at sea.