Send Mom a gift card
See All Buying Options

Sink The Bismarck! [DVD] (1960)

Format: DVD
4.5 out of 5 stars 1,526 ratings
Additional DVD options Edition Discs
Price
New from Used from
DVD —
1
$8.45
$8.45 $2.46
DVD
April 17, 2019 		—
1
$17.34
$11.77 $19.04
DVD
May 13, 2008 		—
1
$8.37
$12.23 $3.34
DVD
July 4, 2005 		—
1
—
$146.00 $17.91
Genre Military & War
Format Dolby, Black & White, Widescreen, Digital Sound, PAL
Language English, French, Italian
Runtime 1 hour and 34 minutes
Color Black & White
Playback Region 2 : This will not play on most DVD players sold in the U.S., U.S. Territories, Canada, and Bermuda. See other DVD options under “Other Formats & Versions”. Learn more about DVD region specifications here

Product Description

Lewis Gilbert's dramatic re-telling of the Allied mission in the spring of 1941 to find and destroy Germany's largest battleship, the Bismarck. The story is told from two angles; the ships involved and the war-room in London where Captain John Shepherd (Kenneth More) plots the manouevres using models of the ships. Shepherd has an emotional reason for wanting the battleship sunk, his wife was recently killed in a German raid on London and his son is missing in action, and struggles to keep his emotions in line whilst making decisions that affect hundreds of lives. The final scenes are a mixture of newsreel of the battle and up-dated special effects.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.1 x 5.42 x 0.58 inches; 1.1 Pounds
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 181201009
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Dolby, Black & White, Widescreen, Digital Sound, PAL
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 34 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ July 4, 2005
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Twentieth Century Fox
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0009HBN6E
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,526 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,526 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review
Outstanding WWII film
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding WWII film
Sink the Bismark is a darn good WWII action film. Although special effects are much better today, it holds up quite well! The characterizations are believable enough to compel us to root for the people. Ironically, the character that most holds the film together is the battleship, Bismark. The story of the short but violent life of the "most powerful" battleship gives the ship its own life. I highly recommend this film for anyone with an inclination to military history or adventure on the oceans! John Bobek, author The Games of War: A Treasury of Rules for Battles with Toy Soldiers, Ships, and Planes.The Games of War: A Treasury of Rules for Battles with Toy Soldiers, Ships and Planes
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • dave b
    5.0 out of 5 stars great movie
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    great classic forgotten movie. they do not make these movies anymore. this is why hollywood is so bad these days.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dennis F. Pelto
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good
    Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was a very good movie that I bought on Amazon at a very good price, it kept me interested all the way thru the movie, was glad I bought it.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Oecolampadius
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Brit Movies Just After War II
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2007
    Verified Purchase
    After the sinking of the HMS Hood, the English seek to put all their units in quest to sink the Bismarck. She had 13 inch welded armor, so the task is set. With her 15 inch guns she would reek havoc in the sea lanes, if she gets into the convoys. Also, she can sit back and shoot 1,700 lb projectiles before most ships can get into range. A chase and strategy ensues ending with a lucky hit on the rudder of the Bismarck by a biwing torpedo plane, just in time to prevent her escape to a French port. This caused her to steer in circles until the pack closes in and ...

    The movie action shifts from the war room to the ships at sea carrying out the orders. The hunt strategy is well put forth in the English war room in London. The personal elements of the English combatants are handled nicely. The Germans, Captain Lindemann and Fleet Commander Luetjens, however, are portrayed as less human and with an ax to grind for the glory of Germany, the Fuehrer, and their own careers, particularly with Fleet Commander Luetjens on the Bismarck.

    This one has superb acting by Kenneth Moore and reflects the war room scenes quite realistically. Kenneth More interacts with his attractive female assistant. A work relationship develops that has an implied future. The feeling of the movie is definitely "documentary" mode.

    By the way, the Bismarck was found and photographed by the National Geographic Magazine on the bottom of the sea. The photographs revealed her forward 15 inch gun turrets were missing. Only two holes showed. The heavy turrets were kept in place simply by gravity. As the ship went down, she rolled and the turrets fell out. See http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographics-Search-Battleship-Bismarck/dp/6304475829
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • givbatam3
    4.0 out of 5 stars Swordfish Mania!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    A very enjoyable film about one of the great naval engagements of the Second World War.

    The American and Japanese aircraft carriers have generally

    gotten most of the cinematic glory in films like "Tora, Tora,

    Tora" and "Midway" but in this film we get a glimpse of the

    British carriers and their legendary Swordfish torpedo bombers. This biplane aircraft, which looks like

    a relic of the First World War, played an important role in the war, not only in the attack on the Bismarck, but also in carrying out the famous devastating attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto which gave the Japanese the idea that they could also carry out a similar torpedo bomber attack at Pearl Harbor.

    In this film, we also see the operation of the huge guns of the

    battleships and the complicated mechanisms that loaded and aimed them.

    One thing mentioned by the other reviewers is that Admiral Lutjens is portrayed as a raving Nazi maniac which they claim is incorrect. I read an article by a German naval officer who was one of the relatively few survivors of the Bismarck and he says that after the sinking of the HMS Hood, he gave a speech to the crew that was strangely depressed and seemed to indicate that they were on a suicide mission. This demoralized the crew since it seemed that they had just won a big victory. When looked at objectively, the mission of the Bismarck does seem strange, since he could have turned back once detected in the North Sea. Some speculated that he thought the war was lost (although the Bismarck sailed in May 1941 which was a month before Germany's suicidal invasion of the USSR, at a time when Germany seemed to be unstoppable) and so he perhaps thought to go out in a blaze of glory. After all, the Bismarck task force consisted of only one other ship (the Prinz Eugen), so no matter how powerful their guns were, the British had superiority in numbers in the Atlantic, so it would only be a matter of time before the Bismarck would be cornered, as had happened to the Graf Spee earlier in the war.

    The film also shows the classic British "stiff-upper-lip" mentality that got them through the very difficult period before the USSR and US entered the war. All-in-all, a film well worth seeing.
    13 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Honest Reviewer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ordered - Arrived As Ordered - On Time and in Great Shape
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This is a used DVD. As delivered it appeared Video Store fresh. It is in great condition and plays without any difficulty with perfect image and audio.

    I am very happy with the seller and with the product.

    Good value for money
    Helpful
     Report
  • JIMI
    5.0 out of 5 stars No Words
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Arrived on 11/29/21, this was in really good condition. I did my function testing on the DVD and it opened and went into play without an issue. I did some case cleaning as I always do, especially for a film this old. Removing dirt and any storage residue that may be present. Checked the case for breakage and cracks and pulled location stickers. This film came out in 1960 in B/W of course and is still a very good movie. It shows how the British fought the Germans on their own on the Atlantic Ocean. As we the US were only sending supply ships to them as our only part in the beginning. The German Wolf Packs were sinking everything they came across. They wanted control of all shipping hence came the Bismarck. Watched this last night and still enjoyed it and the determination of British resolve to win on their own.

    Thank You
    JIMI
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Gary L. Bacon
    1.0 out of 5 stars Be Aware Of Merchants Who Sell DVDs Made Outside The United States
    Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    One of the most disappointing things to find out about a DVD film you have purchased from an outside source is that it will not play the movie you want to see on your DVD player. The company that sold this DVD film forgot to mention or warn customers that it has a hidden code that will not allow it to play in some DVD players. After spending over $30 dollars to get this film I now can't play it. This seller knew that and failed to state that it would only play in certain parts of the world but not here in the United States. This is totally reprehensible and I will be sending the DVD back to them. Let this be a warning to anyone, who purchases any DVD outside the U.S., to see if any disclosures are given by the merchant or seller as what DVD players can play or not play the movie.
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Ms. Jeannette Obrien
    5.0 out of 5 stars DVD Bismark
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Good quality dvd.
    Love this old film
    Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great for WWII buffs - and navy buffs
    Reviewed in Canada on October 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a terrific account of the sinking infamous German battleship "Bismark" which by herself could have been the making or losing of the Battle of the Atlantic. It took a lot to sink her and I doubt she was scuttled as some contend. It seems to me it was foolish to put cadets aboard a ship of this type- perhaps their parents thought they were safe on the great Bismark? Kenneth More gives a great performance as usual. Typical stiff upper lip and a jolly time. What?

    A ship of her power and size could have cut through convoys like a hot knife through butter. Unfortunately for them the Atlantic was not their property and their submarine cousins almost did the trick except for air power and radar.
    Report
  • Schneider André Charles
    3.0 out of 5 stars bien
    Reviewed in France on November 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    lecture
    Report
  • Bill Stabler
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on June 6, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    story is fine but disc is faulty. will not play on multi region dvd.
    Report
  • Schlosser
    5.0 out of 5 stars Geschichtlich unkorrekt, trotzdem sehenswert!
    Reviewed in Germany on July 10, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Geschichte wird von den Siegern geschrieben, das merkt man hier sehr deutlich. Z.B. wurde nach dem Untergang der Bismarck im Film befohlen Schiffbrüchige zu retten. Tatsächlich aber wurde dem englischen Geschwader befohlen schnellstens abzulaufen, da deutsche U-boote vermutet wurden, die Rettung deutscher Schiffbrüchiger wurde strikt untersagt! Daher gab es auch so wenige Überlebende auf deutscher Seite. Zweitens wurde im Film dargestellt, dass die Bismarck am Gefechtsende von 4 Torpedos versenkt wurde. Tatsächlich aber haben Untersuchungen am Wrack ergeben, das die Torpedotreffer, zwar Verformungen, aber keinen Wassereinbruch verursacht hatte, dafür fand man die Flutventile und Schotten geöffnet. Die Selbstversenkung nach Ausfall aller Waffen war eine logische Entscheidung Lindemanns, da man auf ein sinkendes Schiff nicht mehr feuert, so wollte er ein paar mehr Seeleute retten wird vermutet. Beides aber, das man feindliche Seeleute nicht aufnimmt, als auch die Schmach, dass es eine Selbstversenkung war, also kein Verdienst der Engländer, verschweigt man als Sieger natürlich gerne. Geschichte wird von den Siegern geschrieben! Ansonsten geschichtlich sehr korrekt und spannend dargestellt, eine menschlich anrührende Nebenhandlung trägt gelungen zur Unterhaltung bei. Auch verzichteten die Filmemacher darauf, "Gut und Böse" darzustellen und bemühten sich um neutral erscheinende Parteien, etwas, was viele andere Kriegsfilme unglaubwürdig und kaputt macht. Daher trotz der leicht verfälschten Darstellung 5 Sterne.
    Report