7 ▁December ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁Not ing ▁that ▁another ▁film ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁story ▁was ▁also ▁being ▁produced , ▁St udi oc anal ▁( the ▁produ cers ▁of ▁The ▁Mer cy ) ▁purchased ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁its ▁compet itor ▁Crow h urst , ▁prom ising ▁to ▁release ▁it ▁soon ▁after ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁larger - bud get ▁production . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁On ▁review ▁aggreg ator ▁Rotten ▁Tomatoes , ▁the ▁film ▁holds ▁an ▁appro val ▁rating ▁of ▁ 7 4 % ▁based ▁on ▁ 8 1 ▁reviews , ▁with ▁a ▁weight ed ▁average ▁rating ▁of ▁ 6 . 2 4 / 1 0 . ▁The ▁website ' s ▁critical ▁cons ensus ▁reads , ▁" The ▁Mer cy ▁s ails ▁on ▁Col in ▁F irth ' s ▁layer ed ▁central ▁performance , ▁which ▁adds ▁necessary ▁depth ▁and ▁nu ance ▁that ▁the ▁story ▁sometimes ▁la cks ." ▁On ▁Met ac rit ic , ▁the ▁film ▁has ▁a ▁weight ed ▁average ▁score ▁of ▁ 6 0 ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 , ▁based ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁critics , ▁indicating ▁" gener ally ▁favor able ▁reviews ". ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Crow h urst , ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁film ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁subject ▁directed ▁by ▁Simon ▁Rum ley ▁ ▁Deep ▁Water , ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁document ary ▁on ▁the ▁subject ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Des perate ▁Vo y age : ▁Donald ▁Crow h urst , ▁The ▁London ▁Sunday ▁Times ▁Golden ▁Glo be ▁Race ,