When ship's fireman Peter McCabe goes to sea in 1919, he leaves his long-suffering wife impoverished, with two young daughters and a son born soon after his departure.

When the police arrive to tell Mrs McCabe of her husband's arrest, Nora realises the coincidence with her father's own absences from home.

Instead of heading out to sea, the Benediction is diverted to Manchester for three days, giving Ben time to see Nora and insist they get married, which they do.

Meandering, inconsequential and casual yarn, contrived situation and vague direction, add up to make this a negative box-office proposition. ...

"[4] Leslie Halliwell reviewed the film as: "Unintentionally funny melodrama which gives the actors a lot of trouble.

"[5] In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan wrote: "Dark drama free from sideline issues, rare straight role for Miss Harrison.

''[6] Writing in the Radio Times, David Parkinson noted a "sobering and little-seen portrait of Liverpool in the Depression ... the film is undeniably melodramatic, but it has a surprisingly raw naturalism that suggests the influence of both Italian neorealism and the proud British documentary tradition.

As the seaman whose drunken binges mean misery for his family and trouble for his shipmates, Robert Newton reins in his tendency for excess, and he receives solid support from the ever-dependable Kathleen Harrison and a young Richard Burton, in only his third feature.