The Ship that Died of Shame (US Limited Edition 4K UHD)

Director: Basil Dearden

Cast: Richard Attenborough, George Baker, Bill Owen, Virginia McKenna, Roland Culver, Bernard Lee

Richard Attenborough (10 Rillington Place), George Baker (The Dam Busters), and Bill Owen (The Rainbow Jacket) head an all-star cast in The Ship That Died of Shame, a dark and powerful British drama directed by one of Ealing Studios’ leading lights, Basil Dearden (Saraband for Dead Lovers).

At the end of WWII, three crew members of His Majesty’s gun boat 1087 – Bill (Baker), George (Attenborough), and Birdie (Owen) – are brought together again through circumstance and start a business, refitting their trusty wartime ship to make regular Channel crossings. Before long, however, Bill learns that the ruthless George has been getting them involved in more and more depraved activities and is repulsed. But it's the 1087 who refuses to accept her part in the gang’s amoral ventures...

Based on a short story by Nicholas Monsarrat (The Cruel Sea), and featuring appearances by such greats as Virginia McKenna (A Town Like Alice) and Bernard Lee (Out of the Clouds), this unsentimental tale of courage, conflict, camaraderie, and conscience combines scenes of hard-hitting drama with elements of the fantastical to extraordinary, devastating effect.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

New 4K HDR restoration

4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)

Two presentations of the film: in its original 1.37:1 shooting ratio; and matted to 1.66:1

Original mono audio

Coming to Terms (2025): director and screenwriter James Dearden introduces his father’s work

The BEHP interview with Richard Attenborough (2001): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the much-loved actor and director in conversation with Sydney Samuelson

An Uneasy Alliance (2023): film historian and author Neil Sinyard delves into the world of Ealing Studios, and explores the themes and reception of The Ship That Died of Shame

Now You’re Talking (1940): short film produced by Ealing Studios for the ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’ campaign, co-written by Basil Dearden Image gallery: promotional and publicity material

New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Limited edition exclusive booklet with new essay by Robert Murphy, a comic-strip adaptation of the film, archival production reports on the making of the film, an overview of contemporary critical responses, new writing by Fiona Kelly on Now You’re Talking, and full film credits

World premiere on 4K UHD

Limited edition of 10,000 individually numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US