Morning Departure (released as Operation Disaster in the United States[7]) is a 1950 British naval drama film about life aboard a sunken submarine, directed by Roy Ward Baker, and starring John Mills and Richard Attenborough.

She settles to the bottom leaving twelve crew members alive amidships, saved by the watertight doors which were closed by order of the captain when he realised the imminent danger.

The captain of the submarine, Lieutenant Commander Peter Armstrong, expels a quantity of oil, which rises to the surface and shows their position.

Below, Manson has a fainting fit, which he says is a result of having previously suffered from malaria, but Snipe catches him using both arms without difficulty.

Divers manage to secure cables under the submarine, which is slowly winched up fifteen feet per day.

From early scenes in the film, and from dialogue throughout, the viewer is given insights into the personal lives of the crew, their hopes and ambitions.

For example, Snipe is married to a wayward wife, whom he idolises, whilst Armstrong has been offered a lucrative shore job by his wealthy father-in-law and had been planning to leave the Navy to take it up as soon as this patrol was over.

[18] The opening titles feature a statement about the decision to release the film in the light of the loss of HMS Truculent.

The Truculent incident took place after filming of Morning Departure had been completed, but before it went on general release to the public.

The producers decided to go ahead with the film release, as a tribute to the bravery of Royal Naval personnel.

Trade papers called the film a "notable box office attraction" in British cinemas in 1950.

[19][20] According to Kinematograph Weekly the 'biggest winners' at the box office in 1950 Britain were The Blue Lamp, The Happiest Days of Your Life, Annie Get Your Gun, The Wooden Horse, Treasure Island and Odette, with "runners up" being Stage Fright, White Heat, They Were Not Divided, Trio, Morning Departure, Destination Moon, Sands of Iwo Jima, Little Women, The Forsythe Saga, Father of the Bride, Neptune's Daughter, The Dancing Years, The Red Light, Rogues of Sherwood Forest, Fancy Pants, Copper Canyon, State Secret, The Cure for Love, My Foolish Heart, Stromboli, Cheaper by the Dozen, Pinky, Three Came Home, Broken Arrow and Black Rose.