john steinbeck story be cleverly adapt by jo swerling and although it appear ben hecht be also a collaborator in the screen play . without a doubt and alfred hitchcock score another hit with lifeboat . for be do in one set and the boat and the movie never feel claustrophobic . the camera work be extremely effective because it convey the hard voyage these survivor undertake after their trans atlantic ship be attack by a german u boat . the mood in the boat be drive by a sense of survival . the motley crew that get on board after the shipwreck present an assortment of people so different and but join together by their predicament . it would have be highly impossible if these life ever meet and have it not be for the accident . the character be well define . we see a glamorous reporter who manage to be in the boat by herself right after the wreck . the earthy constance find more from this experience than with her own work . kovac and be the rough sailor who take command . gu and the injured sailor can not do much more but rely on happy moment in order to keep sane after his terrible predicament . willy and the devious german and who the group rescue and have an agenda and but the others be too involve in their own problem to see right through this man . spark and alice finally find peace and love with one another . the rich man and rittenhouse realize his money be not worth anything if they be not rescue soon . hitchcock direction be what make lifeboat the fine movie and and the classic it become . in a way and the end be completely anti climatic a the survivor realize willy and the captain have steer them into a trap and but at the same time and after they watch the other german ship destroy by an allied vessel and they rescue a sailor and who threaten them and but be easily overpower . we never see them save and but we know they will be take care by the approach ship . tallulah bankhead be excellent a constance . in fact and her performance be perhaps exaggerate in order to convey the sophistication of the character . little by little she be reduce to nothing a she lose all her material possession and so dear to her and accept the reality of the situation . john hodiak and a kovac and offer a mysterious side and as well a command power . william bendix a gu and offer a man who keep think about happy time with his girlfriend . walter slezak performance be also equally satisfy . we know from the beginning he be hide thing from the people in the boat and but at the same time and he offer their only salvation . hume cronyn and an actor that work with hitchcock in a few movie and be good a spark . mary anderson be the sweet alice who act a a balancing agent . henry hull and canada lee and round out the magnificent cast of the film . this be a hitchcock film that deserve to be see more often and for it offer tremendous reward to it viewer .