the picture be a splendid british film concern about historic deed in wwii and the naval battle in the south atlantic between british cruiser squadron of three ship and the german pocket battleship admiral graf spee and dic 1939 while the protagonist and secondary be incarnate by a magnificent plethora english actor . the film be base on true event and these be the following represent though the british cruiser be no match for the battleship and admiral sir henry harwood ( anthony quayle ) launch an attack to graf spee ( with 6 cannon and 280 mm ) . german fire seriously damage hm exeter ( john cregson and captain bell ) with cannon 203mm and put half of hms ajax ( captain woodhouse and ian hunter ) gun out of action and and then damage achilles ( cannon 152 mm ) and but the cruiser do sufficient damage to the german ship to make it captain break off and run for shelter in montevideo and uruguay . the british followed and and wait in international water outside the neutral port . the uruguay government order the german to leave after 72 hour . the british cruiser name royal and renown be near from montevideo and langsdorff ( peter finch ) do not wait possibility to vanquish . hitler and reluctant to risk the graf spee be sink by heavy british warship which be sail for the river plate and order the captain to scuttle the vessel . he do so 17 dec 1939 and three day later shoot himself . the film contain a colorful and glimmer cinematography by christopher challis . the movie be well produce ( with the archer production ) and direct by emeric pressburger and michael powell . the motion picture will like to warlike genre fan and classic british cinema .