The Cruel Sea Movie Analysis

Gender is one of the most important parts when talking about social identity in twentieth-century Britain. When watching British war films depicted in these times it is hard to get away from noticing the different roles set upon the genders. When speaking on gender we must take into account the idea that we are talking about, “the meanings that society has made, in political, economic and cultural terms, of masculinity and femininity.” (Brooke 44) The main idea society had made was that men are the ones who are in the battle fighting for their country doing the hard work as ‘breadwinners’ and women being the ones who, “give men hope and something worth fighting for”(Summerfield 346). These ideas were presented in many war films before the Second …show more content…
One of these characters who is from, “The Cruel Sea” is Lockhart. When watching the movie we are able to see that though hesitant at first he does want to marry and have a family, which conforms ideas of what a man should have in his life. The problem though is the relationship he has throughout the war with George Ericson. He becomes devoted to his captain and would do anything for him. Different ideas of brotherhood and homosexuality did come from critiques for this but we can see that it was linked to an idea presented in many war and in particular naval war films. (Summerfield 347) This was the idea that, “however important a naval wife may be to her husband she always has a serious rival, namely the ship in which her husband serves.”(Summerfield 337) No matter whom you had at home it was now the war and new lasting bonds were made because of this. War brought on this new relationship with not only commanders, and fellow men but also boats in which they served on. This is what came first and it was portrayed in “The Cruel Sea” in the pain both Lockhart and Ericson shared when they lost their boat but also the choice of sticking as Ericson’s second instead of going to command his own