John Mills: Centenary Collection (1950) (DVD)

In Which We Serve: This is the story of a destroyer of the Royal Navy, and of those that serve in her, which is dive-bombed in the Battle of Crete. As the survivors cling to the float, exhausted and wounded, we see through the memories of those characters, their families and their home lives interwoven and dominated by their ship. We Dive At Dawn: When all leave is cancelled for the crew of the British submarine Sea Tiger, the men know they are in for an important mission. Their target: the German warship Brandenburg, located in the Baltic and surrounded by mines and escorting destroyers. Picking up three German airmen who have been shot down, they learn the exact position of the Brandenburg, and head for it. Now they must face the mines, the destroyers, and perhaps the biggest threat of all - the Brandenburg's own deadly torpedoes! Waterloo Road: It is World War II and Jim Colter has joined the army, leaving his wife, Tillie, behind. She has been wanting to have a child for a long time but Jim has not permitted it. Whilst he is away, she meets and falls for Ted Purvis, the local ladykiller. When Jim's sister writes to him informing him of what is happening, he breaks out of camp without leave and sets off to find his wife. With the military on his tail and his wife involved with an ex-boxer, he will be in need of great dexterity and luck to fulfil his goal. Great Expectations: David Lean directed this stylish film presentation of Charles Dickens' heart warming story of a young man befriending an escaped convict who becomes his unknown benefactor, and of the consequences for the young man as he establishes himself in the world. The October Man: John Mills plays Jim, a young engineer who takes his friend's daughter to a nearby town to buy her a present. During their return journey, the bus is involved in an accident. The girl is killed, and Jim suffers a serious head injury. After a lengthy spell in hospital he is released, but he is plagued by guilt and suicidal tendencies. However, he succeeds in getting a job and moves into a hotel. There he meets a diverse group of people, including a peasant girl, Molly. They strike up an acquaintance to the annoyance of Mr Peachey, a resident who has designs on Molly. Things seem finally to be going right for Jim, until Molly is found strangled on the common and he becomes the prime suspect... The History of Mr Polly: Mr Polly is a sensitive soul. His job as a draper's assistant does not suit him at all and when, one day he is sacked for day-dreaming, he despairs of ever finding another job. His father's death suddenly brings him a large inheritance, and with it he purchases a bike and sets off to find adventure. He meets and falls desperately in love with a young girl, but the relationship turns sour when her friends hear of it. Spurned, he hastily marries his cousin, Miriam, and settles in a sleepy town where he opens a draper's shop. Fifteen years later, he is unhappily married and almost bankrupt. It is time for him to make decisions. Flame in The Streets: Set amidst the backdrop of working class London, Sir John Mills stars as a craftsman, Jacko, working in a factory. A union member, he is considered by the multi-racial workforce to be their representative. Trouble arises when a Jamaican, Gabe, is nominated for a higher position within the factory. Jacko backs this, standing against the racial prejudice that pervades the attitudes of many of the white workers. Gabe successfully gets the job and dashes off to tell his wife. Meanwhile Jacko goes home to find that his daughter is planning an inter-racial marriage. This is the true test of his beliefs, but all the while there is trouble brewing in the streets...

Sir John Mills' Moving Memories