what a great challenge it must have be for alfred hitchcock to make this movie possible . here we have a story that be stationary and no movement in term of set or action and yet with a fine cast and wonderful writing and hitchcock be able to create a timeless and suspenseful drama dictate what great lengths people be willing to go to in order to survive as well a the goodness of mankind that can shine through . a the story go and a u ship have just be sunk and we see the remains float along in the atlantic and soon stumble across a lavishly dress woman alone in a lifeboat and a reporter insist on save her material in order to project a good story . a more survivor resurface and we meet a whole group of them include a nurse and a radio operator and a crewman and a german who be immediately ostracize by the rest simply because he be from the boat that sink the survivor ship . what hitchcock do in depict these very different people and how they relate to one another and try to survive amidst the cold and seemingly endless atlantic ocean be truly fantastic . this be a set up that would be exciting and seem original even by today standard of unlimited special effect potential . what hitchcock do to maintain the narration move forward and keep interest alive be not a stretch of realism nor be it far fetch n it method . here and simple and solid directing reign and despite a somewhat anticlimactic end and i find this to be one of hitchcock good movie while maybe one of his ten best . it be engage and interesting and do a superb job of show the true color of people in such a situation . here and in a boat strand in the ocean and there be no american or nazi and poor or rich . everyone be equal and try to strive to the same goal .