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When Eight Bells Toll

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5.7/10 • 50

1971-03-091h 34m

ActionThrillerAdventure

Danger runs deeper than the sea bed!

In a vein similar to Bond movies, a British agent Philip Calvert is on a mission to determine the whereabouts of a ship that disappeared near the coast of Scotland.

Directors
Étienne Périer
Editors
John Shirley

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Anthony Hopkins

    Anthony Hopkins

    Philip Calvert

  2. Robert Morley

    Robert Morley

    Uncle Arthur

  3. Nathalie Delon

    Nathalie Delon

    Charlotte

  4. Jack Hawkins

    Jack Hawkins

    Sir Anthony Skouras

  5. Corin Redgrave

    Corin Redgrave

    Hunslett

  6. Derek Bond

    Derek Bond

    Lord Charnley

  7. Ferdy Mayne

    Ferdy Mayne

    Lavorski

  8. Maurice Roëves

    Maurice Roëves

    Lt. Williams - Helicopter Pilot

  9. Leon Collins

    Leon Collins

    Tim Hutchinson

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

May 29, 2023

6/10

Alistair Maclean always could pen a good a crime thriller, and his adaptation of his own novel lends much to this, otherwise, rather lacklustre production. It stars Anthony Hopkins as an agent who is despatched by Robert Morley ("Sir Arthur") to investigate the loss of a ship off the Northern coast of Scotland. Once he arrives in this remote coastal community, he quickly discovers his task to be quite perilous - something is amiss. Shortly afterwards, he encounters the cruising millionaire "Sir Anthony Skouras" (Jack Hawkins) and open hostility towards him begins. Sadly, neither Morley nor Hawkins are anywhere near their best in this, and though Hopkins - and the writer - do manage to build a gentle head of steam with the plot, the film is almost a dreary as the weather conditions. It just doesn't really ever manage to get going. There are too many implausibles in the plot - and the ending, complete with a crossbow and a blow-torch just didn't quite work. The score is a bit too overpowering (and the main theme repetitive) and is relied upon much too heavily to augment, even create, what tension and suspense there is. It's still a good watch, but more for some super underwater photography, and some nice Caithness scenery than for anything else.

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  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
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  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster
  • When Eight Bells Toll poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
based on novel or bookscotlandsecret agentship hijacking