Porto de Fúrias

Victor McLaglen, the captain of a tug boat service forms a misplaced affection for Luciana Paluzzi, her father (Delgado) happy to oblige for a significant dowry and ongoing prestige. Paluzzi, of course, at least thirty-something years McLaglen's junior, isn't so willing to be matrimonially arranged and finds mutual attraction with the newly hired mate, Stanley Baker. The ensuing tension creates friction between those loyal to the embattled skipper, and others swayed by Baker's courage and the prospect of a changing in the guard.

McLaglen's final film role is a great individual swansong, but he's better than the matinee grade material. Baker's loner character will draw parallels with that of "Hell Drivers" (another Endfield-Kruse collaboration), as the tough, uncompromising rogue, his professional and disciplined approach initially welcomed by McLaglen starts to wane when it becomes clear that Paluzzi is forming affections for the new first mate. The inevitable transition is made more dramatic by those loyal to the old captain (Shaw, being the most impacted by Baker's sudden arrival and elevation up the pecking order), opposing the vanguard.

The action sequences are competent, but Paluzzi's characterisation (whilst undeniably attractive) lacks the depth which perhaps a Sophia Loren or Pier Angeli would have found in the role. I'm a fan of Paluzzi although I just didn't think this was a role in which her acting talents were utilised beyond being an object of desire and wedge for the ensuing conflict between the male leads.

Quality British supporting cast (aforementioned Shaw and Delgado joined by DeWolff, Aslan and even Barry Foster in a minor role) are mostly spectators to the tepid love triangle and Endfield's direction is not as taut or narratively fluent as in "Hell Drivers" (the similarities with which are too obvious to deny and is possibly where "Sea Fury" suffers as a comparison). But for Baker's charisma and McLaglen's jealous-turn invoking equal amounts of scorn and sympathy accordingly, this would be a largely forgettable experience. A solid climax briefly elevates the picture, but not sufficiently to redeem the otherwise soap-operatic storyline from mediocre status. Fair, but far from memorable.

Firstly can I make the point that although this site shows Baker as top billed it is Mclaglen who was top billed and the name above the title.Mclaglen was an actor who was rarely capable of giving a restrained performance.He needed someone of the calibre of John Ford in getting him to be more restrained.Here he is rather odd because he lusts after a woman young enough to be his granddaughter.Difficult to know whether the director was serious about suggesting this romance.Anyway all the action is reserved for the climax which involves Stanley Baker.IThe end of a long career for Victor.

Victor McLaglen's last feature film found him trying to romance Luciana Paluzzi. McLaglen's a salvage tug captain and he's going through an end life crisis romancing young Luciana Paluzzi who's young enough to be his granddaughter.

Seems that her father Roger Delgado, an innkeeper in a North Spain sea village, would like to get his daughter fixed up with a comfortable situation for both of them. He encourages her flirtations with McLaglen. But she's got eyes for Stanley Baker who's a member of McLaglen's crew.

What saves this film is the action sequences on the high seas, especially Stanley Baker risking life and limb to dump a steel drum of lethal sodium during a storm, on board a listing freighter. Reason enough to see this film. There's also a bit of rivalry between Baker and another member of McLaglen's crew, Robert Shaw.

Shaw and Baker both went on to solid careers as tough leading men. Baker never got quite the acclaim that Shaw did internationally, but he was good box office in Great Britain.

Roger Delgado was best known in the British TV series Doctor Who for originating the role of the Doctor's number one nemesis, the Master. Death in an automobile crash in 1973 cut short a very good career.

Watch it for the action sequences.

Not too bad, many weak details re nautical events. To West Coasters the main attraction is the tug "Sea Fury". She is one of a large class of US Army tugs of WW2, widely used by US and Canadian Towing Companies after the war.They were as a class known as Miki Mikis (Hawiian for "on time") after the progenitor built in the late 20's for the Hawiian inter-island pineapple trade. Very popular and successful vessels. All in all not a bad film , very entertaining if You haven't sailed on a tug although 5 stars for featuring one in a film. Good cast too.Scenes of Spanish ports and coastline are another plus. As are the scenes at sea both on board the Sea Fury, the interaction with the Dutch tug and even the sadly inaccurate salvage operation. Still, a fun show.

Sea Fury is directed by Cy Endfield and Endfield co-writes the screenplay with John Kruse. It stars Stanley Baker, Victor McLaglen, Luciana Paluzzi, Grégoire Aslan, Robert Shaw and Francis De Wolff. Music is by Philip Green and cinematography by Reginald H. Wyer.

Aged Captain Bellew (McLaglen) of the tugboat Fury II is lured into a romantic involvement with young Josita (Paluzzi) by her father who has designs on financial gain for the family. However, the arrival of British sailor Abel (Baker) to the crew sees a romantic dalliance occur of which Bellew is sure to be furious about...

Set in a village on the Spanish coast, where the harbour is host to tugboats and ebullient sailor types, Endfield's film is a weird romance - come - seafaring drama. In truth the first two thirds of the film is pretty turgid stuff, it shuffles along as some sort of bizarre love triangle, then a bit of jealousy comes into play and a drama at sea forces the pic onto a much higher level.

Filmed out of Estartit and Girona in Spain, the acting is fine, where McLaglen (in his last film before his death) is in full bluster mode, Baker is smooth and macho, and Paluzzi strikes the right forbidden fruit chords (including one quite racy and well shot underwear change sequence).

When the plot forces the now bitter crew of the Fury II out to a perilous rescue mission that will make them good money, it is here where the pic pays you off for the time spent with the previous tedium of the lovelorn character developments. It's dramatic, furious even, with Baker put through the water mangler by his director.

Above average, but only recommended if one has the patience to wade through an hour of sogginess to get to the watery thrashy pulse raising last third. 6/10