The Sea Wolves (Snap Case)

Starring:Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, David Niven, Trevor Howard, Barbara Kellerman, Patrick Macnee, Kenneth Griffith, Patrick Allen, Wolf Kahler, Robert Hoffmann, Dan van Husen, George Mikell, JÃ¼rgen Andersen, Bernard Archard, Martin Benson, Faith Brook, Allan Cuthbertson, Edward Dentith, Clifford Earl, Rusi Gandhi
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Ahoy for adventure in this jolly good yarn of retired British military men who become the unlikely heroes of a World War II search-and-destroy mission.

Description

Ahoy for adventure in this jolly good yarn of retired British military men who become the unlikely heroes of a World War II search-and-destroy mission. Starring: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Roger Moore, Trevor Howard, Patrick MacNee Year: 1980 Sound: ENG; Subtitles: ENG, FR Screen Format: Side A: Standard; Side B: Widescreen

Customer Reviews:

Much More Than I Expected.......2007-03-05

I stumbled across "The Sea Wolves" in the Bargain Bin at Walmart in VHS before I found it at Amazon on DVD. I had just finished viewing the complete James Bond set, and I noticed that this title starred Roger Moore, in addition to Gregory Peck, David Niven, Patrick Macnee, and Trevor Howard. (And a multitude of great character actors.) So, I picked it up, and I'm glad I did.

The story is, in brief, about a WWII commando mission pulled off by a bunch of Boer War and WWI veterans who were working in British India in "essential' non-military jobs, keeping chemical plants and factories going to provide war materiel for the Allied effort. Their jobs are important, safe, and frustrating since they feel that they are not 'doing their part' in the war. The mission they accept is critical, dangerous, and very complicated because of the politics of 'Neutrality" practiced by non-combative countries like Portugal. Three German freighters have been 'interned' in the neutral Portuguese port of Goa, and they are part of a spy network sending information to German U-Boats that then sink Allied cargo ships in the Indian Ocean. That the "ragtag band of warriors" will succeed is self evident from the beginning, but HOW they succeed is what makes this a good story. The "HOW" involves digging out German spies, bedroom murders, bribery of 'neutral' politicians, and sexual intrigue ending in murder.

Gregory Peck plays the confident, strong leader tasked with making it happen. Roger Moore plays the somewhat 'sleazy' agent who does whatever has to be done to succeed, while managing to bed 'Mata Hari' in the process. And David Niven plays the character he always seems to play, the war weary, highly competent older character who is always comes through in the end. Patrick Macnee plays an enigmatic explosives expert who is tasked with making, or breaking, the mission in the end.

What sets this film apart is that it is based on a true story; a saga that came to light as a result of the British version of the "Freedom of Information Act" that released extensive records of World War II missions in the late 60's and early 70's. It combines inspiring heroics, perfectly placed humor, and an exciting plot with believable characters and excellent casting to give us an enjoyable and engaging movie. I loved every minute, as I seem to in every movie I review! (It might be that I don't make it all the way through the 'stinkers'!)

When this movie was made (In 1980), Gregory Peck was relatively late in his career, and he was well cast as the mission commander. Roger Moore, in the middle of his James Bond run, carried the Bond 'charisma' over into this role. David Niven was getting up there in age, and it was evident that he strained to complete the film. (A tribute to his long history of professionalism) However, it is precisely the nature of the cast that made it one of my favorites.

Since the early 90's, we have been inundated with films about various Arab-Isreali conflicts, Kosovo, The Gulf Wars, and even flashbacks of Viet Nam. What differentiates "The Sea Wolves" is that this is one of the last of the 'genre' that included actors of the age who not only experienced the reality of war (Having served with distinction in WWII and Korea) but also made no bones about the pride and patriotism that motivated them to serve. The Sea Wolves doesn't showcase 'chicken' actors like George Clooney who put on a uniform and pretend to play soldier and then feel qualified to interject their opinions about war and politics to anybody unfortunate to get in the way of their tirades. The film showcases men who lived through the hell of real war, did their best, and then got on with their lives.

This is not meant to be a political statement, but the movie shows a multitude of the faces of war; some exciting, some horrifying, and some just necessary. Watch it if you can.

Could Have Been Better!.......2006-10-08

This is a decent movie with some high profile lead actors. However, Barbara Kellerman does not impress as the female lead. Her acting is wooden, expressionless, and amateurish in my opinion. I can't believe they couldn't have done better.
One aspect that knocks a star off of my rating is the fact that they didn't bother to give the actors haircuts that were appropriate to the WWII period. Also, the clothing is not period-accurate as well. In fact, you have to keep reminding yourself this is supposed to be in the 40's rather than 1980! This does detract quite a bit, and there are other odds and ends that show the lack of detail given to this picture. Too bad, since the top-name actors and interesting, true-to-life plot make this a worthwhile movie otherwise!

Excellent and TRUE Last Hurrah for The Light Horse!.......2005-10-01

I first saw this film on HBO. I tuned in because two long-time favourites (Roger Moore & Patrick Macnee) were listed. I watched it over several times, bought it on VHS, and now own it on DVD.

This is based on a true event in WWII, when the British were losing cargo to a U-Boat pack in the Indian Ocean. Since the problem stemmed from the neutral Portugese port of Goa, nothing 'official' could be done. The Calcutta Light Horse, a group of retired British military, are recruited to do the impossible, and pulled it off. The event was declassified in 1980, and the film was made. Most of the cast is portraying actual persons involved, as shown in the end credits.

To play the 'past prime' Light Horse members, the film recruited major names: David Niven, Trevor Howard, Kenneth Griffith, Morgan Sheppard, Patrick Allen, Glyn Houston, and a cadre of others you will know. The "thin on top, thick in the middle" troops are led by professional soldiers Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, and Patrick Macnee. Peck plays Col. Lewis Pugh, a colonel whose family was in Coventry when it was plastered by the Luftwaffe. Moore plays Capt. Gavin Stewart, a bit of a playboy who falls for local lovely spy Barbara Kellerman. Macnee plays Major "Yogi" Crossley, the explosives expert fond of reading the paper while standing on his head. All cast members are well up to the task. Most memorable of the supporting cast is Wilton who is charged with nursing the engines of their rather creaky craft. When told he has to stay on the ship rather than going aboard the target vessel, Wilton says: "Request permission to say, 'S--t' sir."

The fun is watching these men train for the mission; the suspense is watching them perform it. To a man, the whole Light Horse volunteered for the mission, despite knowing there was no pay, recognition, medals, or any form of compensation. With only one fatality, despite overwhelming odds and several casualties, they manage.

The only flaw of the film, for me, is Peck's British accent which is overdone when present and tends to fade in and out. Director Andrew McLaglen should have dispensed with it entirely. (MacLaglen also directed Moore in 'fflokes,' another offbeat role for The Saint whose name was Bond.)

Action, humour, romance, suspense - all based on a true story - this one has it all, including a title & credit sequences of the actual event.

The Older Guys have the Right Stuff.......2005-04-28

This is by no means an action packed war movie. Instead, it is about a group of retirees from the Calcutta Light Horse, a regiment from India, who are recruited to a covert operation to sink German ships passing information to U boats in violation of neutrality. The regiment is one that had not seen action since the Boer War at the turn of the century; now they are called to the colors again during WWII. The subtitle, "Last Charge of the Calcutta Lighthorse", conjures up a mental image for me of a bunch of guys on horses charging ships. That is not what happens. They take the James Bond route instead.

The geriatric commandos are eager to serve and do manage to accomplish their mission. They do encounter setbacks and problems and that is where the movie shines. They are assisted in their mission by Gregory Peck and Roger Moore, two people who are trained in the world of clandestine operations. It sounds silly but it works well.

This is a fun movie and worth subsequent viewings.

they don't make them like this now..........2005-04-05

I bought this used in a video store today and the tape freezed up on me 2/3 of the way thru the movie. I am now ordering the DVD on Amazon because I opened (read: broke open) the videotape up in a futile attempt to fix the problem and see the end of the film tonight because I was so enthralled by the story. Drat, I couldn't fix it.

Yes, the story builds a bit slow, but this is a really interesting story based on a true WWII attack. Without giving away the plot, it is highly believable that a minor character, an Indian national was working with the Nazis against the British because he saw this as a way to get independence for India - and/or vent his hatred of Britian. What the Nazis would would have done to the dark skinned Indians had they won the war is another story. But even if you don't know that piece of history, you can get the story (ok, you know it now). The story flows. I can't wait to see the ending and how all characters resolve their issues - as well as how the attack goes down.

Discovery Channel 20th Anniversary DVD Collection

Average customer rating:

Discovery Channel 20th Anniversary DVD Collection

Manufacturer: Discovery Channel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
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Best of Discovery Channel Volume 2
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ASIN: B000AY75YU

Product Description

Product Detail: Celebrate two decades of globe-spanning exploration and top-notch entertainment with this special, five-disc collection. Featuring a variety of hit programs from Discovery's first 20 years some never before available on DVD. Forbidden City: The Great Within Explore one of the world's most extravagant palaces the Forbidden City of Beijing. Unprecedented access reveals for the first time some of its reputed 9,999 rooms and 240 acres of palace grounds, schools, temples and theaters. Once closed off to the world, this icon of Chinese imperial power is now yours to discover. Wolves at Our Door Join documentary filmmaker Jim Dutcher and his wife, Jamie, as they share their experiences living with a family of wolves for three years. By bottle feeding them as puppies and being a constant presence in their lives, the Dutchers gain unprecedented acceptance into the world of these lively but misunderstood canines. Titanic: Anatomy of a Disaster Touted as unsinkable prior to its maiden voyage, the manner in which the Titanic sank has long been a source of debate. Watch as scientists and researchers combine underwater archaeology, forensic science, metallurgy and other disciplines to get to the bottom of this 90-year-old mystery. Queen of the Elephants As India's population explodes, precious elephant grazing areas are beginning to disappear. Join conservationist Mark Shand and elephant handler Parbarti Barua as they stride 300 miles across India on the backs of elephants to generate awareness for the plight of these gentle giants. Carrier: Fortress at Sea Meet the crew of the USS Carl Vinson and shove off for a six-month, 45,000-mile voyage from San Francisco to the Persian Gulf. Along the way, thrill to the real-life story of the Navy's top guns as told by the men themselves and marvel at the visual excitement of flight deck operations and footage from jet-mounted cameras. Presented in full screen format.

Average customer rating:

German War Reels w/ Generic Narration

Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1939-1941
Starring: Grey Wolves
Manufacturer: Arts Magic
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1942-1943
Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1943-1945
Panzer III: Medium Tank
Panzer IV: Heavy Tank
Tiger: Heavy Tank Panzer VI

ASIN: B0009X76YG
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Description

For Kapitaen zur See and Fuehrer der U-boote Karl Doenitz the outbreak of war between Germany and the United Kingdom in September 1939 found the submarine arm of the Kriegsmarine unready for conflict. Nevertheless, Doenitz's 'Grey Wolves' were still able to inflict substantial losses on vessels carrying Britain's lifeblood. The conflict widened after the occupation of France and its ports gave the submarines direct access to the Atlantic shipping lanes, which in turn led later to a larger arena. This program depicts the course of the U-boat war in its initial phase in vivid images captured primarily by German cameramen with much being presented to the viewer for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

German War Reels w/ Generic Narration.......2006-09-04

I bought this dvd blind out of curious interest. Risky move, considering the packaging is generic, along with the description, which is misleading. I thought, well I was hoping this would be a detailed history of the actual U-boat submarines, not a general history of the U-boat war which is what these are.

What you have here is German war reels narrated by an Australian guy who is giving a VERY broad interpretation of the battle of the Atlantic. It's not bad though, not at all, because to my happy suprise virtually all the footage is taken from German cameramen assigned to U-boat duty during the war. You will see sinkings, and candid behavior aboard the u-boats, including some very nice WWI footage.

I estimate 75% of the footage I had not seen before. I was very happy with this. Some of it is familiar, but its always interesting to watch like the launching of the Bismarck, Graf Spee and Scharnhorst capital ships.

You have to watch yourself to not fall asleep as the Australian narrater is strictly going through the motions and is quite boring. Get this only for the excellent footage. All black/white.

Dead Men's Secrets - Secrets of the Sea Wolves

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Dead Men's Secrets - Secrets of the Sea Wolves

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000F6ZC7K
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Average customer rating:

Much More Than I Expected
Could Have Been Better!
Excellent and TRUE Last Hurrah for The Light Horse!
The Older Guys have the Right Stuff
they don't make them like this now...

The Sea Wolves (Snap Case)
Starring: Gregory Peck , Roger Moore , David Niven , Trevor Howard , and Barbara Kellerman
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Art House & International | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Ffolkes
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The Man Who Never Was

ASIN: 0790742837
Release Date: 1999-11-23

Description

Ahoy for adventure in this jolly good yarn of retired British military men who become the unlikely heroes of a World War II search-and-destroy mission.

Starring: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Roger Moore, Trevor Howard, Patrick MacNee Year: 1980 Sound: ENG; Subtitles: ENG, FR Screen Format: Side A: Standard; Side B: Widescreen

Customer Reviews:

Much More Than I Expected.......2007-03-05

Could Have Been Better!.......2006-10-08

Excellent and TRUE Last Hurrah for The Light Horse!.......2005-10-01

The Older Guys have the Right Stuff.......2005-04-28

they don't make them like this now..........2005-04-05

Average customer rating:

Very interesting with a lot of never before seen footage

Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1942-1943
Starring: Grey Wolves
Manufacturer: Arts Magic
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1939-1941
Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1943-1945
Panzer III: Medium Tank
German Fighter Aircraft of World War 2: 1939-1942
Panzer IV: Heavy Tank

ASIN: B0009X76YQ
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Description

The first six months of 1942 saw the war assume a truly global dimension with the entry of the United States into the conflict. For the U-boat arm, the heavy coastal traffic off the eastern seaboard of the U.S. provided such a fertile hunting ground that the high number of vessels sunk led this period to be christened by the submarine crews as the `second happy time'. The belated introduction of convoy tactics by the US Navy saw U-boat victories off the U.S. coast sink to a low of just three in July 1942. Fuehrer der U-boote Doenitz now set out to exploit the gap in the mid-Atlantic where convoys were beyond the range and protection of allied aircraft. By 1943 the Wolf Packs were inflicting heavy losses on the convoys - the high point of the U-boat campaign in World War II. New footage helps us understand the on-going battle between hunter and hunted above and beneath the cold, grey waters of the North Atlantic - the most decisive theatre of World War II.

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting with a lot of never before seen footage.......2006-12-31

The Grey Wolves series is all black & white news reels filmed by the Germans during WWII. These news reels would normally be played to the general German public in movie theaters, etc. The program lasts around one hour. While this program runs, you see the footage which is in German, while an English speaking person talks about what you are watching. Over the English talking, you can still hear, just barely, German being spoken in the background.

I'm a big WWII buff & I have watched a ton of WWII programs. 99% of GW:1942-1943 I have never seen before.

I enjoyed GW '42-'43 a lot more than GW: '39-'41. The '42-'43 deals a lot with the U-Boat Campaign off the United States. GW: '39-'41 deals with a lot of the end of WWI and post WWI U-Boat upgrades and development.

Average customer rating:

Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1943-1945
Starring: Grey Wolves
Manufacturer: Arts Magic
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1942-1943
Grey Wolves: U-Boats 1939-1941
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ASIN: B0009X76Z0
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Description

With the defeat at Stalingrad, the belated need for total mobilization was accepted by Hitler and the slack in German productive capacity was taken up in an attempt to produce the equipment needed to service a wider and much longer war. A new program for increased production was introduced - 27 Type VII boats a month by the end of 1943. However, it was already too late for the U-boat arm, for the allies had moved to close the gap. Large numbers of long-range aircraft, new radar, new weapons and new tactics served only to raise U-boat losses in the Atlantic after mid 1943. This final chapter of the 'Grey Wolves' war is told with fascinating footage covering all aspects of this story. It ends with film of the one man 'Biber' submarine, and the arrest of Doenitz in 1945 - Hitler's nominated successor and Germany's last Fuehrer!

Average customer rating:

CAVEAT EMPTOR
They have got to be kidding.
It is a bad deal.
Not terribly useful collection
Some Winners and Some Losers

Dozen DVD Deal - Action

Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Customer Reviews:

CAVEAT EMPTOR.......2005-05-11

BUYER BEWARE! This looks like a lowball of a deal if you consider that most of the movies depicted are the worst Hollywood has ever produced and delivered. I would look at the reviews and perhaps rent each individual movie before you by them all together. Here's a view of some of them:

'The Big Red One': Without question one of the worst WWII/D-Day films ever produced in every respect (technically and historically.) The film stars Lee Marvin who's much too old to play a grunt on the beaches of Normandy. The film is riddled with cliches and bad scenes from beginning to end. It wasn't even filmed in Europe but Israel. Yes, the coasts and beaches in Israel look so much like Normandy it's striking! It's about as bad as setting Auschwitz in Death Valley for a Holocaust film.

'The Gauntlet': Dirty Harry-type Eastwood movie where he's got to protect a witness against corrupt cops. Not a bad movie but not his best either: far below his Dirty Harry films or his westerns.

'Point of No Return': American version of "La Femme Nikita" starring Bridget Fonda. O.K. but the French version was better and more realistic.

'The Sea Wolves': Humor-action WWII movie starring Roger Moore. This one is actually pretty good with a lot of action.

'Soldier': Probably the worst movie that Kurt Russel ever starred in where he has an even smaller script than Schwarzeneger in "Terminator." Pathetic: not even worth watching once.

'Tango and Cash': Comedy-action cop movie with Kurt Russel and Sylvester Stallone. O.K. but after a while you begin to wonder whether you're laughing at the film or the fact that this was even made into a movie.

'Victory': Good movie about a soccer team of prisoners in WWII starrring Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone. This film is probably the best one out of the entire selection.

'When Trumpets Fade': Another one of the absolutely worst war films ever produced regarding the obscure battle of Hurtigen Forest at the close of WWII in Europe. A pathetic film with a horrible screenplay and equally disgraceful acting: avoid like the plague! I got it for free as a bonus to buying 'Band of Brothers' and I threw it away after one viewing as I couldn't stop laughing as to how bad this movie was.

Save your money and buy the few good films in this packet separately. Most of the movies in this package are not worth buying trust me!

They have got to be kidding........2005-03-20

There are maybe two OK movies in this "Deal", the rest are junk. I do not want to own any of them personally. The best part is the deal itself. Every single one of these movies can be had for less than ten bucks. If they chopped the first number of the price, they might be able to call it a deal.

It is a bad deal........2004-11-18

With the market for the DVD's being so competetive you can buy these DVDs individually at a much cheaper price than as an action pack on amazon. Don't be fooled go else where. The movies are good so I'd get them just not all at once like this.

David

Not terribly useful collection.......2003-09-12

While the movies here in and of themselves are not 'bad' movies, unless you really want to buy them all you would probably be better off seeking the specific movies that you want rather than coughing up $115 for them here.

Some Winners and Some Losers.......2003-09-10

This is an interesting set of DVDs.

There are some good films here and some not so great.

"The Big Red One" is a much overlooked war film starring, believe it or not, Mark Hamill of "Star Wars" fame. The story is told very well.

"Fort Apache, The Bronx" stars Paul Newman and is really not so bad a cop film. If you like that genre, this is a good addition to your collection. Again, a well told story, if not a little dated.

"The Gauntlet" is a pretty good Clint Eastwood movie from 1977. Not one of his best, but not one of his worst either.

"Point of No Return" is the American version of "LaFemme Nikita" starring Bridget Fonda. The original is the better movie, but this one works. Its a fun watch.

"Ricochet" stars a pre-Oscar win Denzel Washington and a very over the top John Lithgow. It passes for entertainment, but barely. Lindsay Wagner shows up, if that helps.

"Soldier" is a Kurt Russel movie that he worked out for. Nice pecs, Kurt.

"Tango and Cash" is actually a pretty good film. Importantly, it does NOT take itself too seriously and it fun to watch. It stars Kurt Russel and Sylvester Stallone in their prime action-hero days.

"Victory" is a great film. The best featured here. It is placed in a concentration camp in WWII and its about soccer. You're intrigued, right? Its actually a very good movie, uplifting and well told. Again we have Sylvester Stallone and he's joined by Michael Caine and Pele (soccer superstar).

Obviously, there are some good films in this collection. Dont write it off without a consideration.

DVD:

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