Philandering British Intelligence officer Commander Max “Rammer” Easton (James Mason) – now desk-bound and under-worked in the Admiralty – finds he suddenly needs to make some money to woo fancy American woman Virginia Killain (Vera Miles).
He hatches a plot to disappear in circumstances that suggest he has defected to the Soviets with top-secret information and then return to sue the newspapers for libel.
Easton takes his small sailing boat, the Shelduck, to a remote Scottish island and sinks it after setting up a comfortable temporary home on the rocks, complete with tent, stove and radio (and champagne) and settles down in relative grandeur lunching on lobster and wine while Whitehall becomes increasingly nervous and the media take the bait.
Once they publicly call him a traitor, Easton throws his stockpile of luxury goods into the sea and prepares to light a bonfire that will summon rescuers – but accidentally loses his accelerant and is forced to try lighting a pile of soggy seaweed – eventually running out of matches.
He must now sit and endure the harsh Scottish weather with no shelter or food while the scandal of his treachery fills the newspapers.
He is eventually rescued and his reputation redeemed, but the police suspect him of doing exactly what he did. There are some narrow escapes but he suavely bluffs his way through and everything works out satisfactorily.
Easton gets the girl and instead of suing the media, he sets about making his fortune by writing the “true story” of his adventure.
Cmdr. Max Easton
James Mason Virginia Killain
Vera Miles Sir Charles Holland
George Sanders Minister
Oliver Johnston Cmdr. John Larkin
Robert Flemyng Tom
William Kendall Gregson (Special Branch)
Duncan Lamont Capt. Graham
Harry Andrews Sub Lt. Brown
Peter Barkworth Clara Holland
Rachel Gurney John Holland
Martin Stephens Marcia Holland
Waveney Lee Robert Holland
Charles Carson Susan
Junia Crawford Jason Parrish
MacDonald Parke Adele Parrish
Mavis Villiers Cmdr. Bates
Ernest Clark
Director
Guy Hamilton
Related Posts
Never Steal Anything Small (1959) Crooked trade union leader Jake MacIllaney (James Cagney) will do just about anything to win the presidential election of longshoreman union…
Appointment in London (1953) Appointment in London covers one hectic but typical month in Summer 1943 among the men of RAF Bomber Command. Tired but…
Taste of Money, A (1960) This romantic crime melodrama concerns an elderly spinster who perpetrates the " perfect " safe robbery for not entirely selfish…
Foxhole in Cairo (1960) It is 1942 and the German Afrika Korps are pushing the British back toward Cairo. Field Marshal Rommel intends to…
Jazz Boat (1960) Electrician Bert Harris (Anthony Newley) visits Chiselhurst Caves with his girlfriend Rene (Joyce Blair) but angers petty crooks Spider (James…
Fear and Desire (1953) After making some well-received documentaries, Stanley Kubrick quit his day job as a photographer for Look magazine and borrowed money…
Carve Her Name with Pride (1958) Bafta-nominated Virginia McKenna gives an understated but well-pitched performance as Violette Szabo, a glamorous young woman whose life in London is…
Return to Paradise (1953) This James Michener tale has Gary Cooper as Mr Morgan - an American drifter and soldier of fortune who stumbles…
Easton takes his small sailing boat, the Shelduck, to a remote Scottish island and sinks it after setting up a comfortable temporary home on the rocks, complete with tent, stove and radio (and champagne) and settles down in relative grandeur lunching on lobster and wine while Whitehall becomes increasingly nervous and the media take the bait.
