Tense thriller superbly directed by the legendary British film maker Michael Powell. Britain, 1933, David Barr (Leslie Banks) is an ambitious ship designer working at the Glasgow shipbuilders Burns, McKinnon & Co. Barr has a radical new ship design that he believes will revolutionise the British shipbuilding industry which is suffering from both foreign competition and economic depression. Barr however faces opposition from his own Board of directors, led by Lord Dean (Frank Vosper), who are hesitant with the investment required to fund his plans to build 20 ships. Dean would prefer a partnership with rival shipbuilder, Manning (Alfred Drayton), who Barr despises due to his use of foreign registries. With the support of chief shareholder June MacKinnon (Carol Goodner) Barr embarks on his ambitious plans but will he see his ships launched in the face of fierce resistance from his bankers and militant workers and in the face of industrial espionage?