I Watch Films: Sea Devils (1953)

 

Sea Devils (1953)

Gilliatt (Rock Hudson) is a fisherman turned smuggler in the British channel island of Guernsey in 1800. War with France has made his trade very profitable; to escape a revenue cutter he takes great risks, including distracting them by sailing past rival smuggler Rantaine while he’s unloading. Droucette hires him to take her to France, she claims to rescue her brother. However while making contact with his suppliers he learns she’s actually a French Countess; believing she’s been spying on the British he captures her and takes her back to Guernsey where he turns her over to the governor.

However she’s actually actually a British spy impersonating the Countess, so the Governor sends Gilliatt away and then takes Rantaine out of prison to smuggle her back to France, hopefully before she’s missed. Gilliatt is having second thoughts, not wanting her to hang; when he sees her being put on board Rantaine’s boat he swims out to rescue her, but is knocked out. They sail back to France where she kisses him, doesn’t tell him what’s going on, then swims back herself, getting back into bed. Gilliatt and Rantaine return to Guernsey but their reward is to be imprisoned.

Napoleon arrives, and explains his invasion plan, while Droucette listens in. His chief of staff is surprised to learn that all the servants in the house are new. Suspicious of Droucette he invites a neighbour, the Baron, who tricks her into revealing herself. A carrier pigeon message to Guernsey explains her predicament; the governor releases Rantaine and Gilliatt on condition they return to France for a swashbuckling rescue attempt.

There’s some good small sailing boat action, and a few good stunts. That Gilliatt falls for Droucette instantly is almost explicable, despite the slightly insipid script.

Watch This: Fast-paced sailing, spying and sword-fighting
Don’t Watch This: Awkward by the numbers romance along with disjointed history