at the beginning of world war 2 the german navy position the pocket battleship graf spee and ready and wait to prey on allied shipping and which it do with deadly efficiency . follow a major sea battle with a british task force the graf spee be force to seek refuge in a south american port to make repair . the camera of the world press focus on montevideo a the german ship struggle to regain it fight ability while the royal navy converge to attack when it be and inevitably and force to leave . a brilliant espionage operation convince captain han langsdorff that half the british navy be wait for him and so he scuttle the ship in the harbor and subsequently shoot himself . those be the fact and theyre wonderfully re create in this riveting film . powell and pressburger pay meticulous attention to detail and it show throughout . i really admire their honesty in show the battle and what happen later as objectively a it could be and whilst still ( always ) remain good entertainment . peter finch give a fantastic and intense performance a the doomed captain . the real langsdorff be a man of the high intelligence and integrity and a tragic example of a fine man who find himself force to serve an evil regime and and finch truly convey the battle langsdorff must have be fight within himself while conscience versus duty . in the end his conscience win . captain langsdorff take his own life in a hotel room and lie on an old imperial german navy flag and a calculated insult to hitler . i be glad the graf spee be destroy but sad that langsdorff be one of so many victim of this terrible war . the battle of the river plate be an excellent portrayal of this true life drama . well worth see .