When Eight Bells Toll

Danger runs deeper than the sea bed!

1971 • 94 min • Action · Adventure · Crime · Mystery

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Synopsis

Phillip Calvert is a British Treasury secret service agent assigned to stop the ruthless pirating of millions in gold bullion off the western coast of the Scottish highlands. His search takes him to the small port town of Torbay on the Isle of Torbay where numerous fishing boats, yachts and people have been mysteriously disappearing. A trail of deceit and subterfuge leads him to Cypriot tycoon and shipping magnate Sir Anthony Skouras and his beautiful wife, Charlotte aboard their luxury yacht anchored off the coast, who may hold the answers to the truth.

Our family guide

Best from age 10

Movie Knight Score

63 reviews

100 Reviewers · 1 · 51%
57 Audience · 62 · 49%

A British secret agent investigates the mysterious disappearance of gold bullion and ships off the Scottish coast. His search leads him to a wealthy tycoon and his wife, uncovering a web of deceit and danger. Expect classic spy action and intrigue in this 1970s adventure.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 2/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 3/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 3/10

Heads up

Characters use guns and engage in hand-to-hand combat.
Some smoking and drinking by adults.
The plot involves criminal activity and deception.

What it models well

Problem-solving
Perseverance
Loyalty

Talk about it after

What makes a good secret agent?
The importance of integrity
How difficult it can be to tell who to trust

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for When Eight Bells Toll. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

Where to watch

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Top billed cast

Director: Étienne Périer

Trailers & clips

1971 Trailer

When Eight Bells Toll (1971) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
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.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community