Sotto dieci bandiere (1960, Italy)

A low budget World War 2 naval film about the battle of wits between the German commander of an armed raider disguised as a neutral merchant ship and the British senior officer controlling operations (played by the impossibly stout Charles Laughton).

The German raider showed Japanese nationality markings (before Japan entered the war) until innocent British merchant ships got close enough, and then the German ship fired on them. This part of the scenario is based on fact, but we see that crewmen on deck are dressed as Japanese ladies with kimonos, parasols and a pram containing a doll to add authenticity. When the British ship is close emough, the fake women change into their proper uniforms.

If this part were not improbable enough, later on in the story we see an area of the German ship where the clothing is kept; evidently numerous different disguises were contemplated, for there are racks of clothes marked "Australia", "Siam" and "India".

The film has also been released with the title Under Ten Flags.

HF March 2008

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