CRUEL SEA

Original British World Premiere 20 inch x 30 inch Double Crown Poster 1953 Charles Frend Ealing Studios War Film THE CRUEL SEA, based on the novel by Nicholas Monsarrat and starring Jack Hawkins, Donald Sinden, Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, John Stratton, Virginia McKenna, Moira Lister, June Thorburn, Liam Redmond, Meredith Edwards, Megs Jenkins and Bruce Seton.

Ealing’s respectful version of a celebrated best-seller about the ravages on corvette crews of a long war, with Jack Hawkins as a professional leading a ship of volunteers. It was one of Ealing’s most successful films financially, and consolidated Jack Hawkins’ reputation.

Poster art by Charles Murray.

Painter and engraver of imaginative subjects. Born 21st April 1894 at Aberdeen, grandson of a sculptor, he studied at Glasgow School of Art 1908 to 1911, and, on a Prix de Rome for etching, at the British School, Rome, 1922 to 25. He spent two years serving with the White Army in Russia from 1918 to 1920, and later travelled extensively in Europe, including a visit to Iceland with an archaeological expedition. He died on 17th March 1954 in London. There was a Memorial exhibition at Temple Newsam, Leeds, in 1955.

Printed by Graphic Reproductions Ltd. (Ealing’s main printer through the 1940s and 1950s)

The poster, for the Leicester Square Theatre London, is in very good unfolded (rolled) condition with a 2 1/2 inch tear at the top right corner and a 2 inch tear at the bottom left corner both repaired from the reverse with conservation archival tape.