Hitchcock’s Lifeboat and Moral Status

It’s World War II, a German U-Boat just torpedoed an Allied Ship. The Allied ship hit the U-Boat as well and both sank. There are very few survivors. We see a lifeboat with only one elegant, sophisticated lady, alone. Her name is Connie Porter, she is a columnist that is covering the war. Soon, others swim to the boat, most of them are crew members or passengers of the Allied ship. Hansome engine worker Kovak, radioman Stanley, millionaire entrepreneur P. J. Rittenhouse, African-American steward “Joe” Spencer also appears trying to save a British woman and her baby, nurse Alice and German-American Gus Smith (used to be Schmidt) complete the group, but soon they are joined by a survivor of the U-Boat, Willie. What should the group do? Must the German be respected? Should he be killed? Does he have Moral Status?

What is Moral Status? The first distinction that we should be aware of is between Moral Status and Social Status. In the film, the characters have different Social Status. Connie is a writer, wears a mink coat and a diamond bracelet, Kovak is an engine worker, Joe is an African-American servant, P.K. Rittenhouse is a millionaire, Stanely is a radioman, and Gus is a German-American. However, in the situation they are in, their different social statuses quickly dissipate, and they soon become simply human. As humans, their basic Moral Status is evident, that is until the…