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In 1901 English amateur yachtsman Arthur Davies is exploring a chain of islands off the German coast, attempting to update navigation charts for the area in which treacherous sandbanks abound. He becomes suspicious of a mysterious German called Dollmann, who apparently is running a salvage operation on one of the islands, and does not welcome Davies' interest in his activities. Davies summons the help of his friend Charles Carruthers, who works in the Foreign Office, to get to the bottom of the curious goings on.

This is an admirable attempt to film Erskine Childers classic novel. It manages to combine the laid back feel of amateur yachting with an intriguing mystery. Simon McCorkindale and Michael York blend together very well as the two English gentlemen turned amateur sleuths. They are complimented by the excellent and much missed Alan Badel as the sinister Dollmann, and Jenny Agutter as his daughter Clara. Much of the film's appeal is due to the exquisite cinematography of veteran Christopher Challis. He manages to evoke a strong sense of time and place with good location work, and is helped in this by solid production design and an enchanting musical score. My only real criticism is that sometimes the suspense sequences could have been more tightly constructed without compromising the genteel atmosphere of the piece.

It would be nice to see this appear on DVD at sometime in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio to really appreciate the photography (BBC2 do at least broadcast it in 1.78:1). However, the film was produced by Rank, and I fear that Carlton will hold the distribution rights. Anyone who has ever purchased one of their DVDs will attest to the utter contempt that they appear to have for the format. Films are usually released in 1.33:1 full frame no matter what their original ratio, and in the case of 'The Eagle Has Landed' there are also some 12 minutes of the film missing! With these points in mind it doesn't bode well. If you haven't seen 'The Riddle Of The Sands' try and catch it next time round on TV. You may be pleasantly surprised by it.

If you've read the book you'll realise that it couldn't be made into a 90 minute or so film. Bits have to be cut and some scenes adapted so that the film contains a flowing understandable narrative. Often this is not particularly successful. Riddle of the Sands suffers to some extent in this way. Nevertheless this is a pretty good attempt at transferring the book to film. Michael Yorke and Simon McCorkindale are right for the parts they play. Neither are my favourite actors but I don't think many others would have portrayed the characters, warts and all, as realistically. The supporting cast are where the real strength of the film lies. Hans Meyer as Grimm is wonderfully sinister, as indeed is Michael Sheard as Boehme. Alan Badel was one of the best actors ever and his portrayal of Dollman is flawless. Jenny Agutter as Clara also shines. The music by Howard Blake deserves mention because the soundtrack is so important when setting the mood and, besides, the recurrent theme is a very nice piece of music. This is a slow-paced film but is nonetheless a powerful and well told story. If you want fast action and explosions everywhere give it a miss and head for some standard Hollywood identikit action film. If you want a well made story set in beautiful surroundings with good understated performances and a decent soundtrack try and hunt down a copy of the video or catch it on one of its rare TV showings.

It's probably impossible to transfer the cozy atmosphere of Erskine Childers's book to the screen, but Maylam's attempt is a creditable one. The Dutch and German villages, the sand banks, the coastline, all in muted browns and greys, look every bit as dull as you'd expect them to, but we begin to see their attraction; and something of the feeling of day-to-day life on a boat is conveyed to us. A nice score by Howard Blake helps give us the measure of things.

It's what we COULD have expected to survive transition to the screen - excitement - that's most really lacking. Childers's novel was (so everyone says) the first modern spy story. In addition to a love of the sea it also conveys a sense of menace, a feeling that something of importance hangs on the riddle of the sands, which the film, blandly paced and having to resort now and then to first-person narration, doesn't. It's still pleasing enough, especially if you've read the book and the film isn't giving away any of its secrets.

Tony Maylam (and Christopher Challis - read his autobiography, "Are they really so awful") went all-out in this film to recreate a feel for Erskine Childers's slightly jingoistic novel, and for the joy of messing about in boats. The film achieves much of what it set out to do, but some extra elements grafted on to the original plot slightly spoil it for me.

The plot features Davies, an English amateur yachtsman (brilliantly played by Simon MacCorkindale) who stumbles onto something strange while pottering around the bleak Friesian coast in northern Germany. Mystified, he summons his old friend Carruthers (Michael Yorke) to help uncover the secret.

As a detective tale or spy story viewed through the eyes of either Davies or Carruthers, the film works. The few action sequences, which are almost always seen from the viewpoint of others, tend to fall flat and spoil the overall continuity. The subtitles to scenes in which characters are speaking in German are annoying, since almost everything is also translated verbally for the benefit of Davies who does not speak the language.

That said, this is quite a tense film, and gives a very true rendering of the novel.

The scenery and props are quite superb. Davies's yacht is a joy to look at from the outside and suitable poky in the interior shots. The flat coastal scenery is very atmospherically shot and the costumes are very good.

Except for a rather wooden "Kaiser Bill", the acting is excellent, though this is no less than one would expect from such as Alan Badel and Jenny Agutter.

This film is very enjoyable, but best watched with one's thinking cap on.

It is needless to say that the book is much better. It's a real classic spy story. But the movie adaptation was quite a surprise. It obeys the storyline of the book, but: (1) the first part of the novel is totally left out; and (2) the last 15 minutes are in many ways somewhat different from the novel. Nevertheless, these changes are quite understandable: they make the movie more agile, more suitable for the screen.

The main characters are very faithful to the novel. British actors are very good, well casted and well characterized. German actors are somewhat stereotyped, but go along. Fighting scenes, more often than in the book, could have been better performed. Scenery is beautiful.

For a 1979 movie, I should say it deserves a seven. Had it been filmed in the 21st Century, I think it could have another 20 to 30 minutes – so as to better explore the feelings of the main characters (as the book does in its first part).

I thoroughly enjoyed this old-fashioned spy yarn based on a novel by Erskine Childers. The story is simplicity in itself: a quintessentially British yachtsman, Arthur Davies, is exploring off the coast of Germany when he uncovers some strange activity. He calls in his upper-crust friend, Carruthers, and the two soon find themselves out of their depth and caught up in some sinister events.

Okay, so there isn't much story to go along with, and the story that there is is rather predictable. That's beside the point: RIDDLE OF THE SANDS is a strongly visual film that conveys the joys of being free on the oceans, as well as the pleasure of a world that was a lot simpler than ours. It's well-shot throughout with an infectious charm, and as the two leads, Simon MacCorkindale and Michael York have a wonderfully deadpan chemistry.

The thriller and spy aspects, although relatively mundane by modern-day standards, are interspersed well with the rest of the story, and Jenny Agutter turns up as lovely as ever. There are some well-handled set-pieces dotted throughout - the atmospheric journey through the fog, the hide-out in the loft, the dinner scene - and if the film doesn't perhaps excite you as it might, then it leaves you with a warm and cosy feeling afterwards, like the effect of sitting by the dying-down remnants of a roaring fire.

"The Riddle of the Sands" tells the story (set in 1901 Europe) of two English chums, Carruthers (Michael York), a clerk in the Foreign Office, and Davies (Simon MacCorkindale), a yachtsman. Davies comes to discover that something sinister involving the Germans may be transpiring, and draws his reluctant friend into the mystery. They work, and work hard, to be discreet while observing the characters with whom they come into contact. Serving as a mild distraction for Davies is the enchanting Clara (Jenny Agutter, at her loveliest), daughter of a German seafarer named Dollmann (Alan Badel).

The source novel by Erskine Childers is considered by buffs to be a prototype for the modern spy thriller, and the film certainly seems quite respectful. It was a dream project for debuting young filmmaker Tony Maylam (who wrote the screenplay with John Bailey); Maylam went on to do the American slasher "The Burning" next. (Definitely an interesting choice for follow-up project.) Period recreation is effective, the storytelling capable, and director Maylam proves capable of generating suspense. One standout sequence has Carruthers and Davies travelling by dinghy to a remote German island through the fog, with only Davies' navigational genius to guide them. The music score by Howard Blake is simply wonderful, combining a real majesty as well as an ominous quality.

The performances are uniformly excellent, with York and MacCorkindale believable as old buddies. Agutter is radiant and appealing, just like always. Badel leads a superb European supporting cast also consisting of Jurgen Andersen, Michael Sheard (Admiral Ozzel in "The Empire Strikes Back"), Hans Meyer, Wolf Kahler (Dietrich in "Raiders of the Lost Ark") as the Kaiser, Olga Lowe, and Ronald Markham.

"The Riddle of the Sands" doesn't seem to be too popular 40 years later, but it does deserve to be better known. As was mentioned, it's more about suspense (and atmosphere), rather than much in the way of action set pieces. Overall, it's worth a look for lovers of the espionage genre.

One of the last few films to be financed by The Rank Organization.

Seven out of 10.

Not popular on its small first release this wonderful and genuinely beautiful thriller is great adventure and well cast. Set in 1901 off the sandbanks near the Fresian Islands near Brussells/Germany /Holland RIDDLE is an atmospheric foggy 'chums in peril' mystery with a spunky cast and sublime and eerie sailboat thrills. The woolly jumpers alone should have won an award! York and MacCorkindale are almost interchangeable but the always gorgeous Jenny Agutter is as usual irreplaceable and perfect. MacCorkindale even leaps overboard one morning all nude, just to liven up the visuals! Filmed in panavision this really suffers on TV and deserves a DVD release to allow a whole new generation to soak up what is a generally unappreciated but lovely sailing thriller. The art direction and atmosphere is so accessible it is almost enough reason to just let yourself sail away. It is one of my favorite films and patient viewers will be well rewarded. It seems to be screened constantly on late night Australian TV, and even has an extra scene early in the film as Michael York arrives by train. RIDDLE OF THE SANDS is one of the most absorbing and beautiful Edwardian/Victorian era films made in Britain in the 70s.

The Riddle of the Sands seems to be symptomatic of the British film industry of the 1970's and 1980's. A small cast of characters in an enclosed setting (despite being set mostly at sea, the claustrophobia is palpable)dealing with big problems in a small way. Other films of the time like The First Great Train Robbery and A Nightingale Sung in Barkley Square are similarly set-up.

However, the actors all give realistic performances and Simon MacCorkindale serves the film well as a man not entirely comfortable with words or with himself. His scene with Jenny Agutter making breakfast is a small delight of understatement and embarrassment.

Agutter herself, one of the delights of British Cinema of the time (Equus, Walkabout), is both pretty and believable as always. Her gentle attempt at a German accent is also acceptable.

The story however fails to engross at times, being paced a little too leisurely and suffering from a lack of visual diversity. There are only so many shots of slow moving yachts and open seas that one can bear.

Still, the lack of ambition ensures that the film has a feel of realism and there are no annoying matte lines or blue screen artifacts to dissuade us from the view that this is a real story.

I did not like the film the first time I saw it, but I am sure that it will grow in the memory.

The people who commented obviously loved it so much. So did I. No movie can be perfect, and anything with a strong nautical theme is very, very hard to get looking right. Look at all the pirate movies where it is obvious that a period ship, recreated at huge expense, has its sails hanging slack and is being propelled through the water by engines. There was a Columbus movie not long back where the bottom edge of a sail was flapping round his face while he said something deep and meaningful.

RofS is one of the few films that manage to sustain realistic nautical action and atmosphere right through. My only very minor quibble was that in the scene below decks where Clara puts on the kettle, there is far too much space above her head. But that could not detract from the "awkward English chap" conversation Arthur has with her.

Of course anything with Jenny Agutter in it is a good movie, but with Jenny and sailing boats as well, this is one to love.

Thrilling and suspenseful adventure based on Erskine Childer's fiction , long a favorite project of Michael Powell , and is deemed the prototype spy-thriller . In 1901 a British yachtsman named Arthur (Simon MacCorkindale) stumbles onto what seems to be a secret plan to carry out a terrible invasion and summons his Oxford chum named Charles (Michael York) working for Secret Service to help him out . Both of whom manoeuvre around the north Sea German coastline , as they navigate the whole eerie desolation of risked seas and nearly beaches . In these shifting sands, men can disappear without a trace and their secrets with them . The eccentric Englishmen set out to thwart this twisted plot , but must outwit the cream of the German Navy led by the same Kaiser William (Wolf Kahler) .

Nice rendition about one of the greatest adventure classics of English novel set in the early years of the 20th Century that captures enjoyable characterizations and subtleties of atmospheres . It focuses an intriguing premise upon a German scheme to invade the east coast of England in a flotilla of specially designed barges and conveys us a real sense of wonder including wrecks , storms , betrayal and demonic dangers . This sweeping movie displays adventures , thrills , intrigue , a love story , and moving confrontation with a terrific climax final for a spectacular sea chase . However this interesting story never takes off as it should despite of pomp and circumstance showed and the flick results to be justly stiff and too slow to be really effective . Phenomenal main cast as Michael York , Simon MacCorkindale, Jenny Agutter and fine support actors as Alan Badel and Wolf Kahler as feared Kaiser Wilhelm himself . Emotive and sensational musical score by Howard Blake . Wonderful cinematography in Panavion and Technicolor by Christopher Challis who reflects marvelously authenticity of locations rather than a tank studio . This Rank production is faithful enough , being well directed by Tony Maylan in his first and best film , despite of various difficulties involved . Maylan is a little prolific filmmaker expert on Thriller genre as ¨Journal of a contract killer¨ , ¨Split second¨ , ¨Phoenix Blue¨ and Horror as ¨The burning¨ . This is an overwhelming tale with suspense , adventure , villainy , romance and heroism in the grandeur of big screen although in television set is lost its splendor .

OK as an very undemanding post-Sunday-lunch 'family' film, but the script of TROTS (note acronym) is an unthrilling as it is possible to be. Every scene is completely linear; they get in a boat, they row somewhere, they get out. It's as though somebody released a home movie of a foggy holiday - which is actually the plot.

The music is relied upon to bring tension to any scene where there's supposed to be suspense, but only succeeds in being obtrusive. Try 'The Fog' for a movie that achieves suspense without the audience being able to see anything. TROTS is little more than a bad radio play with not-very-clear pictures.

On a historical accuracy note, no Oxbridge sportsman would have been seen dead with hair that long in 1901; and that would have raised suspicion - at least of their aesthetic temperament - wherever they went. That this is not addressed illustrates how seriously the film-makers of TROTS took themselves.

It's great that someone decided to film the book. It is not an easy one to manage. Others have noted how well the sailing scenes are done. Simon MacCorkindale is excellent and convinces as an enthusiastic and athletic amateur yachtsman. Michael York is stiff and is the same as he has been elsewhere. The first half of the film is quite good.

That was the good news. On the negative side, the 1970s show through too much. The men's hair is a bit too long and the beards look as if they came out of the dressing-up box.

Worst of all, no attempt is made to get the German right. There are German actors, who, of course speak correctly. However, it was a disastrous move to leave undubbed the atrocious accents of the non-German actors. I could go on.

In the second half of the film, we seem suddenly to be the world of the Famous Five, or, at best, an old episode of the Saint or Danger Man. The fight scenes are laughable. The baddies are awful, especially the Kaiser. How Alan Badel strayed into this farrago, I do not know.

Less seriously, much of the filming was done in Holland, and it shows. Holland is not really like North Germany and we never quite get the unique atmosphere of the German Frisian islands or coastline.

Must confess, I have not read the book, although I have seen the film twice now. It's a pleasant enough picture to watch and remains quite exciting at the second viewing. The period props are OK although modern film makers, presumably when working on a limited budget, tend to make a film comprising fairly close shots - perhaps for rather obvious reasons. Regret, not sure about Davies' moustache and, in some scenes, the usually dependable Christopher Challis appears rather ill-served by the film editor. Some of that blame must lie with the director.

30 minutes in and nothing happens. 60 minutes in and nothing happens. 90 minutes in and still nothing happens. Just plodding in a homemade movie passive style.

A completely uneventful, unexciting and boring movie. Having watched this movie, for the first time, after over 40 years since it was first released posed a real challenge for a reasonable review, but this movie is so slow paced and linear that could not possibly have been an exciting and thrilling movie even back in 1979. Sadly the director failed pitifully to bring to life the potential of the story by Erskine Childers with some cinematic vigour and spirit of enthusiasm.

Due respect to the actors however who have done well what has been asked of them.

Whenever I surf over to IMDb I always seem to find forgotten classics that are unavailable in any format. This is another example of a great movie which never seems to resurface on VHS or DVD. At least this one was released on video at one time and can be found at secondhand vendors.

No one has ever done a better job of transferring this lesser-known classic story to the screen. Michael York, Simon McCorkindale and Jenny Agutter are seldom better than they are here in quiet and understated performances. The director achieves the very spirit of the book in a seemingly effortless manner.

Such a pity that no one who has the ability to resurrect this movie thinks it worthy of the DVD treatment it deserves.

Erskine Childers may have written the prototype of the modern day spy thriller with the book this movie is based on, but it doesn't change the fact that this movie adaptation is a big bore for the most part. Like many British movies, this plays like "illustrated radio", having a screenplay that may work on the radio, but becomes deadly dull when filmed. The movie is mostly talk talk talk, and not particularly interesting talk at that. The talented cast does give it a shot, but their lively performances only adds a tiny amount of spark. It doesn't help that the fairly low budget of the entire enterprise is evident throughout. In the end, the movie is a drab bore, which is a real shame because one can see the potential for a really good thriller here and there.

Decent little seafaring movie this, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. Set in the early 20th Century the action takes place in the Frisian Islands off the coast of Germany and sees our heroes exploring these islands together. Carruthers (Michael York) and Davies (Simon MacCorkindale are very dashing too. Soon trouble arrives however when they discover a plan by the Germans to set a fleet of barges to invade Britain. Of course any film with Germans wouldn't be complete without the great Michael Sheard in it, and he plays Bohme with his usual nasty charm. It's not without faults either though and could've done with being a bit more exciting. That said it's enjoyable and it's always nice to see Jenny Agutter in a film, this time playing the German love interest.

This film has very little to recommend it. Its basic premise, a potential German invasion of Britain in the early twentieth century, may have been electrifyingly relevant at the time of the original novel's publication, but is somewhat dated now. What little action there is is of Boy's Own variety: the heroes turn up just in time to overhear the spies divulge their secret plans in a "rhubarb rhubarb, invasion, rhubarb rhubarb, weapons, rhubarb, England," sort of way.

Apart from that, the script and cinematography are not great. The script is rather clunky, even beyond its source matter, and seeks to over-explain what's happening. For instance, when the crew walks out on deck one will say "its foggy again" even though the fog is obvious. The occasional voice-over narration (by Michael York)adds little to the story but rather detracts from it. Seeking to explain in words what we should be seeing on screen is antithetical to cinema, and is particularly irritating when the end is told rather than shown to us.

Much of this narration seems to be caused by budgetary restraints rather than artistic choice. Certainly a lack of money, especially during the very few action scenes, makes them even more underwhelming than they might have been. The crashes between boats (which is most of the 'action') looks as exciting as seeing two toy boats have a slight hit on a puddle.

The film in general has the look and feel of a 70s TV movie. Nice enough to watch, but certainly no classic. The theme music, however, is rather good and deserved a better movie.