A man living in Germany who doesn’t want to fight is compelled to pretend he's an SS officer so he can deactivate explosives on a cargo ship carrying rubber that the Germans need for the war. Yul Brynner portrays the captain, Mueller, who seems defeated; Martin Benrath plays the enthusiastic first officer, Kruse; Janet Margolin embodies a captive Jewish woman named Esther who has suffered abuse; and Hans Christian Blech is a memorable member of the crew called Donkeyman. “Morituri,” which came out in 1965 and was filmed in black and white, is a suspenseful drama that unfolds almost entirely on this freighter in the Pacific. The initial portion, roughly the first fifty minutes, isn’t particularly engaging as “Mr. Kyle” (Brando) moves through the ship to disarm the explosives—it doesn't quite ring true. However, things become more compelling after that point, and a sense of suspense develops leading up to an unforeseen ending. Margolin’s character evokes both sympathy and longing. The film’s unusual title originates from the Latin phrase "morituri te salutant," which translates to “those who are about to die salute you.” Ultimately, “Morituri” is something that people who appreciate Brando or Brynner should see, as well as those with an interest in WWII movies from the 1960s. It's not a masterpiece, but it’s a decent alternative to today's big-budget action films—and I do enjoy those kinds of movies sometimes. The movie has a running time of 2 hours and 3 minutes. GRADE: B/B-

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