Gift Horse (1952)

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Gift Horse is a 1952 British black-and-white World War II drama film directed by Compton Bennett, and starrimg Trevor Howard, Richard Attenborough, James Donald, and Sonny Tufts. It was written by William Fairchild, Hugh Hastings and William Rose, and was produced by George Pitcher. The film follows the story of the fictional ship HMS Ballantrae and her crew from the time they come together in 1940 until they go on a one-way mission to destroy a German-held dry dock in France. The final mission is based on HMS Campbeltown and the St Nazaire Raid. The title is a reference to the proverb "Never look a gift horse in the mouth".

Production

The movie was meant to star Robert Stack but when he arrived in the UK he was refused a work permit and was replaced by James Donald. Part of the finance came from two rubber merchants, Colonels Weil and Prior.

The film was backed by James Lawrie and John Woolf. They formed a new company, Molton Films, to take the film over from Jay Lewis Productions as Jay Lewis refused to allow director Compton Bennett to work unhindered while filming.

The real-life ship used in the film was HMS Leamington. Built in 1919 as the USS Twiggs, a Wickes-class destroyer, she was one of the last post-war survivors of the 50 elderly four-funnelled destroyers provided in 1940 by the US as part of the "Destroyers for Bases Agreement": (also known as "The Fifty Ships that Saved the World"). She served on convoy duties, including as an escort for the ill-fated Convoy PQ 17.

The film was shot at Isleworth Studios in London with sets designed by the art director Edward Carrick.

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