The Wreck of the Mary Deare – 1959 | 105 mins | Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Thisseafaring adventure based on the Hammond Innes novel of a shipwreck and itsmoral consequences was originally a project to be directed by Alfred Hitchcockuntil he passed it over to direct North by Northwest. This lavishly staged MGM adventurehas some spectacular ocean scenes and is straightforwardly directed by MichaelAnderson – who again teams up with writer Eric Ambler following their collaborationon Yangtse Incident (1957). The resultant mystery is compelling but neverthelessforgettable; it was well-received by critics but poorly marketed by MGM. Gary Cooperis suitably rugged and distant, but at 58 too old to be diving underwater twoyears before his death, but still gives his co-star Charlton Heston a lesson inrestrained acting. There’s a particularly strong supporting cast in the laterscenes that includes Richard Harris, Michael Redgrave, Emlyn Williams, CecilParker, Alexander Knox and Virginia McKenna.

JohnSands (Charlton Heston), captain of the Sea Witch salvage vessel in the EnglishChannel, boards the seemingly abandoned and drifting freighter Mary Deare onestormy night. The smouldering ship appears to have been on fire and abandoned,but whilst exploring the decks, Sands encounters Captain Patch (Gary Cooper),the only crew member aboard. Patch claims to have been knocked unconscious anddeserted by his crew, and that he had put the fires out after regainingconsciousness. When Sands attempts to return to his tugboat in heavy seas,Patch saves him, and requests that keep this incident quiet until after anofficial enquiry and not reveal where the ship is grounded. Sands reluctantlyagrees.

Petrie(Alexander Knox), an investigator for the Mary Deare’s owners, is suspicious ofthe Mary Deare’s demise and begins to look into the matter. Meanwhile, whilstthe court of inquiry is underway, a French salvager finds the Mary Deare andone of the crew saboteurs, Higgins (Richard Harris), is working on behalf ofthe owners to sink the ship once it is back at sea and collect an insurancesettlement worth millions. Sands and Patch take scuba equipment and sneak backto the Mary Deare’s hold, but Higgins spots them, and intends to send both tothe bottom with the ship.