Lifeboat
"Six men and three women - against the sea, and each other!"
During World War II, a small group of survivors is stranded in a lifeboat together after the ship they were traveling on is destroyed by a German U-boat.
Top Cast
-
Tallulah Bankhead
Connie Porter
-
William Bendix
Gus Smith
-
Walter Slezak
Willi
-
Mary Anderson
Alice MacKenzie
-
John Hodiak
John Kovac
-
Henry Hull
Charles J. Rittenhouse
-
Heather Angel
Mrs. Higley
-
Hume Cronyn
Stanley "Sparks" Garrett
-
Canada Lee
Joe Spencer
Overview
During World War II, a small group of survivors is stranded in a lifeboat together after the ship they were traveling on is destroyed by a German U-boat.
Rating
7.4
/ 10
480 Reviews 1 Popular
1 Reviews
-
CinemaSerf7 Feb 8, 2026With their transport torpedoed by a now also sunken Nazi U-boat, journalist “Porter” (Tallulah Bankhead) finds herself aboard the ship’s lifeboat afloat amidst the flotsam. She isn’t on her own for long, though, as others find her refuge and when German “Willi” (Walter Slezak) shows up that makes nine souls. They want to head to Bermuda, but nobody knows the way except, possibly, their prisoner - but they don’t want to believe him, nor surrender control of their voyage to him either - but with supplies running low, the sea becoming more hostile and hopes of rescue fairly remote, what are their options? What now ensues sees the survivors embark on a journey of self-discovery as they consider their current predicament and how they have lived and lied about their lives hitherto. This little microcosm of society becomes a little toxic, a little romantic, a lot suspicious and even adrift at sea there are still characters onboard determined to play games of oneupmanship - even if it’s just themselves there are deceiving. Obviously, this is all done in a tank on an LA backlot, so nowadays it doesn’t always look the most convincing but it’s really the story that makes this a compelling watch. Alfred Hitchcock drip-feeds us information, sometimes plausible and sometimes conflicting, and the audio effects also work well at creating a powerful sense of claustrophobia in the middle of an open ocean with a group of personalities you mightn’t trust with your dry cleaning let alone your life. Bankhead is on great form, as is Henry Hull and it all makes for an unique wartime adventure that if it is supposed to be propagandist in nature, offers a curious look at just how un-allied the allies could be.
Trailers & Clips
![Lifeboat (1944) BLU-RAY TRAILER [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/O_SGsmN96hk/hqdefault.webp)
Recommendations
A WWII pilot, bombardier, and radioman find themselves adrift on a lifeboat without food or water after being forced to ditch their plane during a scouting mission.
Against the Sun
7.0 2014
A first-time captain leads a convoy of allied ships carrying thousands of soldiers across the treacherous waters of the "Black Pit" to the front lines of WWII. With no air cover protection for 5 days, the captain and his convoy must battle the surrounding enemy Nazi U-boats in order to give the allies a chance to win the war.
Greyhound
7.4 2020
Murphy is the sole survivor of his crew, that has been massacred by a German U-Boat in the closing days of World War II. He is rescued, and ends up at a forgotten mission station near the mouth of the Orinoco, and begins to plot his vengeance. He wishes to sink the U-Boat by means of any method imaginable to him, and sets about to make the courageous attempt, assisted by Louis, the administrator of the local oil company.
Murphy's War
6.2 1971
During WWII, Duke E. Gifford is second in command of the USS Thunderfish, a submarine which is firing off torpedoes that either explode too early or never explode at all. It's a dilemma that he'll eventually take up personally. Even more personal is his quest to win back his ex-wife, a nurse; but he'll have to win her back from a navy flier who also happens to be his commander's little brother.
Operation Pacific
6.1 1951
In the midst of World War II, the battle under the sea rages and the Nazis have the upper hand as the Allies are unable to crack their war codes. However, after a wrecked U-boat sends out an SOS signal, the Allies realise this is their chance to seize the 'enigma coding machine'.
U-571
6.5 2000
When Russia's first nuclear submarine malfunctions on its maiden voyage, the crew must race to save the ship and prevent a nuclear disaster.
K-19: The Widowmaker
6.6 2002
During a routine patrol, a reporter is given permission to interview a hardened cold-war warrior and captain of the American destroyer USS Bedford. The reporter gets more than he bargained for when the Bedford discovers a Soviet sub and the captain begins a relentless pursuit, pushing his crew to breaking point.
The Bedford Incident
7.0 1965
The lives of three young men, a German and two Americans, during WWII.
The Young Lions
6.8 1958
The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.
Dunkirk
7.5 2017
A German living in India during World War II is blackmailed by the English to impersonate an SS officer on board a cargo ship leaving Japan for Germany carrying a large supply of rubber for tyres. His mission is to disable the scuttling charges so the captain cannot sink the ship if they are stopped by English warships.
Morituri
6.8 1965