Sea Wife

Michael Cannon, known by the nickname Biscuit, returns from the war and launches a determined search to reunite with Sea Wife, publishing personal ads under the name 'Biscuit'. His longing sustains him, but the pursuit is fraught with emotional risk and memory’s distortions. In London, he is summoned to Ely Retreat, where his quest collides with the reality of a fragile psyche. His resilience and vulnerability drive the narrative’s emotional core.

An ill man confined to the Ely Retreat who attempts to persuade Biscuit to abandon the search. Bulldog is wary, manipulative, and quick to distrust others, especially Number Four. His attitudes and behavior reveal the corrosive effects of fear and prejudice in close quarters. He functions as a foil to Biscuit’s hopeful perseverance.

Sea Wife is the woman Biscuit seeks, initially introduced through memory and letters; she is later revealed to be Sister Therese, a nun. Her choices are shaded by secrecy and moral complexity, making her more than a romantic ideal. Across the island and the ship, she embodies resilience and the tension between faith, desire, and duty.

The ship’s black purser who knows Sea Wife’s nun identity and negotiates under pressure with the Japanese submarine captain. He is pragmatic, resourceful, and wary of others’ motives, particularly Bulldog’s. His insistence on keeping the machete for himself heightens tension and ultimately leads to a fatal confrontation with the sea.

The ship’s captain who shepherds evacuees and faces the moral and logistical burdens of wartime crisis. He represents authority and duty under duress, balancing orders with the welfare of passengers. His presence underscores the fragility of leadership in extreme circumstances.

An elderly nun included among the evacuees; she embodies unwavering faith and quiet endurance amid chaos. Her presence offers spiritual counterpoint to the trauma around her and to Sea Wife’s concealed identity. She contributes to the film’s themes of mercy, memory, and moral testing.

An older passenger aboard the evacuation, whose experience and observations anchor some of the shipboard dynamics. His reactions to the unfolding events help illuminate the social pressures and human frailties of a crowd in crisis. He serves as a reminder of the war’s broad reach across generations.

A military chaplain who provides spiritual commentary amid the wartime upheaval. His presence adds moral reflection and a contrasting voice to the more volatile dynamics aboard the ship and on the island. He helps frame questions of faith, duty, and forgiveness in crisis.