A strangely neglected film now, released on DVD under the title Terror on the Britannic (and not in the correct aspect ratio, I fear). Tense, well-acted thriller with some nice comedy touches doubtless from 'additional dialogue' writer Alan Plater.
Good cast and well developed characters: Richard Harris, David Hemmings, Omar Sharif (jaded ship's captain), Roy Kinnear (jaded entertainer), Anthony Hopkins (good as weary detective), Kenneth Colley, Shirley Knight, Ian Holm (frustrated shipping line exec), Freddie Jones, Clifton James (no fool politician), Roshan Seth, Adam & Rebecca Bridge (" It is Action Man!" "No it isn't.")
Great scenes with bomber talking over action - Tony Gibbs. His cut of explosion to lighter flame - a nod to Anne Coates' match / desert cut (Lawrence of Arabia)? Great real stuff e.g. parachuting into sea sequence - looked dangerous.
Loved the fancy dress party where one of the passengers - they all know the situation by now - is carrying a 'bomb' - so British. David Pirie goes further, in his 'Time Out' review, calling it 'a penetrating and sardonic commentary on a fading and troubled Britain, neatly characterized by the lumberingly chaotic ocean liner, 'The Britannic', in which everything is falling apart; newly fitted stabilizers rock the boat, the general facilities are shabby and run down, bombs keep exploding to the stoical dismay of the passengers.' And to make the bomber Irish is right on point.
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