Defiant's crew is part of a fleet-wide movement to present a petition of grievances to the Admiralty. Violence must be no part of it. The continual sadism of Defiant's first officer makes this difficult, and when the captain is disabled, the chance for violence increases.

• Columbia Pictures
• Alec Guinness
• Dirk Bogarde
• Anthony Quayle
• Maurice Denham
• Nigel Stock
• Tom Bell
• Richard Carpenter
• Peter Gill