In the Indian Ocean during World War II, the Germans are sinking British ships with astonishing regularity. It is as if the Germans know when and where to find the ships. It is suspected that the Germans have a spy in the Portuguese port of Goa on the west coast of India. Indeed, three German ships are anchored in the harbor but the Portuguese - who are neutral in the war - have removed the radios. Colonel Lewis Pugh (Gregory Peck) and Captain Gavin Stewart (Roger Moore) travel to Goa to investigate. While there, attempts are made on their lives and they conclude that a secret radio is on one of the German ships. Again, as this is a neutral port, British commandos can't just attack. Instead, Colonel Pugh calls upon the Calcutta Light Horse, a group of retired soldiers who are eager to help the war effort. Colonel William "Bill" Grice (David Niven) is their commanding officer. They plan to sail a junker of an Indian riverboat into Goa harbor and assault the German ships by surprise. Major Crossley (Patrick Macnee) is an explosives expert who will make sure all the German ships are sunk. Can a bunch of middle-aged and out of shape former soldiers pull off a daring assault?
While Colonel Pugh leads the assault, Captain Stewart and Jack Cartwright (Trevor Howard) plan a variety of distractions for the night of the raid: a high-end party, a fireworks show, and free brothels paid by an eccentric German philanthropist! Not one to be all business, James Bond... er... Gavin Stewart finds time to romance Mrs. Cromwell (Barbara Kellerman). Of course, he does not realize that she is a German spy who is having a hard time deciding if she should kill him or not. Gee, that doesn't sound like a retread of The Spy Who Loved Me.
Made by the same team that produced The Wild Geese, the original casting had hoped to include Richard Burton and Richard Harris as Pugh and Grice. The movie does have a Wild Geese feel to it with a batch of older men playing soldier in this off-the-books raid. The movie delivers what it promises, a commando raid by retirees, but it fails to have memorable characters or particularly good action scenes. The most interesting characters were James Bond... er... Gavin Stewart and Jack Cartwright. Trevor Howard, who is usually the commander in such films, is here a retiree desperate for action and willing to take any role. He can be cantankerous, funny, and oddly charming. Something of a departure for him, at least of the roles I've seen of his.
This is based on a true story and the historical photos of Pugh, Stewart, and Grice are shown in the credits. Even so, it is just okay.
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