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 poster

Morituri (1965)

Must mean something unusual

★ 6.7/10 August 24, 1965 123 min

ActionDramaThrillerWar

Director: Bernhard Wicki  ·  Writer: Daniel Taradash

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.

Trailer

Director

Bernhard Wicki Bernhard Wicki

Cast

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Robert Crain Yul Brynner Yul Brynner Captain Müller Janet Margolin Janet Margolin Esther Trevor Howard Trevor Howard Colonel Statter Martin Benrath Martin Benrath Kruse Hans Christian Blech Hans Christian Blech Donkeyman Wally Cox Wally Cox Dr. Ambach Max Haufler Max Haufler Branner Rainer Penkert Rainer Penkert Milkereit William Redfield William Redfield Baldwin Oscar Beregi Jr. Oscar Beregi Jr. Admiral (as Oscar Beregi) Martin Brandt Martin Brandt Nissen

User Reviews (2)

Wuchak
Wuchak January 1, 2019
★ 7/10

***WWII suspense/drama about a freighter in the Pacific with Brando and Brynner*** A German expatriate pacifist (Marlon Brando) is forced to pose as an SS Standard Leader for the purpose of disabling the scuttling charges on a merchant ship carrying rubber vital to the German war effort. Yul Brynner plays the disillusioned captain (Mueller), Martin Benrath the gun-ho first officer (Kruse), Janet Margolin an abused Jewess captive (Esther) and Hans Christian Blech a notable crewman (Donkeyman). Released in 1965 and unfortunately shot in B&W, “Morituri” is a suspense/drama taking place almost entirely on the freighter in the Pacific. The first 50 minutes are kinda meh as “Mr. Kyle” (Brando) sneaks around the ship disabling explosives and it’s not very believable. From there, though, the dramatics get interesting as suspense builds to an unexpected climax. Margolin’s charac…

CinemaSerf
CinemaSerf November 10, 2022
★ 7/10

"Crain" (Marlon Brando) is quietly sitting out WWII at his home in India when he gets a visit from the "Col. Statter" (Trevor Howard) who delivers a few home truths in order to get him to volunteer to help commandeer a ship loaded with rubber leaving Japan and heading to Nazi controlled Bordeaux. His task is to use his expertise to disable the scuttling explosives hard-wired aboard in the event of any aggressor interfering with it's journey. As it happens, the newly appointed captain of the boat - "Mueller" (Yul Brynner) - is not best pleased at having his crew supplemented by a group of ne'er-do-wells that would not have looked out of place with "Long John Silver". "Crain - now called "Kyle" must find out where the bombs are located and disable them without being spotted and when he discovers that the design of the ship will make that impossible on his own, he has to find help... Who to…