In the vein of many buddy action movies like The Guns of Navarone, The Magnificent Seven, and The Dirty Dozen, The Sea Wolves takes the basic premise, a group of men working together to perform a mission, and adds a unique factor...what if the men were senior citizens who haven't been in combat for over 40 years?  In early 1943, German U-boats are sinking Allied ships left and right, killing the replacements and destroying badly needed supplies.  British intelligence figures out the Germans are transmitting the location of the ships from a neutral port in Goa on the Indian coast. The only problem is that because of the neutral waters, the British can't send commandos in.  Intelligence turns to the Calcutta Light Horse, veterans of the Boer War at the turn of the century, to stop the transmissions and destroy the German ships.  Part of the fun of the movie is watching these veterans, well into their 60s and 70s by 1943, getting ready and adjusting to a mission they've been waiting years to do.  The movie is patient in its pacing, but that's part of the fun, allowing the storyline to develop along with the cast, but more about that later.  The Sea Wolves blends some good laughs and enough action to appease most fans.  If you're a fan of "men on a mission" movies, this is pretty close to a sure thing!

 What sets this movie apart from being an average WWII adventure is the cast, from the leads all the way to the supporting characters. Gregory Peck heads the cast as Col. Lewis Pugh, a British Intelligence officer who must turns to his old comrades-in-arms when the special mission arises.  Peck tries a British accent that goes in and out, but it's Gregory Peck, the performance is good regardless.  Taking a break from the Bond movies, Roger Moore plays Capt. Gavin Stewart, Peck's right hand man who helps organize the mission.  In a way, Moore is playing a toned down Bond here.  Reuniting with Peck after the huge success of The Guns of Navarone 18 years earlier, David Niven is very good in a somewhat small role as Col. W.H. Grice, the leader of the remaining Calcutta Light Horse veterans.  Niven and Peck are perfect in their scenes together.  Trevor Howard in a small cameo-ish type part is Jack Cartwright, a veteran trying to avenge his son's death in Burma with Moore's help.  Barbara Kellerman is perfectly sinister and beautiful as Mrs. Cromwell, a woman Stewart meets who may know more than she's letting on.  The best part of the supporting cast is seeing all the character actors as the members of the CLH including Kenneth Griffith, Patrick Macnee, Allan Cuthbertson, Percy Herbert, Donald Houston, Graham Stark, and Jack Watson among many others.  They aren't given many lines, but just having them in the movie gives it an even bigger sense of credibility.

 And while the DVD looks great in its widescreen presentation (fullscreen is included too, but does anyone actually watch that version?), there's nothing in terms of special features, not even a trailer.  I know much of the cast has passed on, but an interview with Roger Moore would have been great here.  Still, the movie is excellent on its own so don't choose not to buy it just because of the lack of features.  An excellent WWII adventure with a great cast, don't miss The Sea Wolves!  And if you like this one, try The Wild Geese with some of the same cast and crew!
In the vein of many buddy action movies like The Guns of Navarone, The Magnificent Seven, and The Dirty Dozen, The Sea Wolves takes the basic premise, a group of men working together to perform a mission, and adds a unique factor... what if the men were senior citizens who haven't been in combat for over 40 years? In early 1943, German U-boats are sinking Allied ships left and right, killing the replacements and destroying badly needed supplies. British intelligence figures out the Germans are transmitting the location of the ships from a neutral port in Goa on the Indian coast. The only problem is that because of the neutral waters, the British can't send commandos in. Intelligence turns to the Calcutta Light Horse, veterans of the Boer War at the turn of the century, to stop the transmissions and destroy the German ships. Part of the fun of the movie is watching these veterans, well into their 60s and 70s by 1943, getting ready and adjusting to a mission they've been waiting years to do. The movie is patient in its pacing, but that's part of the fun, allowing the storyline to develop along with the cast, but more about that later. The Sea Wolves blends some good laughs and enough action to appease most fans. If you're a fan of "men on a mission" movies, this is pretty close to a sure thing! What sets this movie apart from being an average WWII adventure is the cast, from the leads all the way to the supporting characters. Gregory Peck heads the cast as Col. Lewis Pugh, a British Intelligence officer who must turns to his old comrades-in-arms when the special mission arises. Peck tries a British accent that goes in and out, but it's Gregory Peck, the performance is good regardless. Taking a break from the Bond movies, Roger Moore plays Capt. Gavin Stewart, Peck's right hand man who helps organize the mission. In a way, Moore is playing a toned down Bond here. Reuniting with Peck after the huge success of The Guns of Navarone 18 years earlier, David Niven is very good in a somewhat small role as Col. W. H. Grice, the leader of the remaining Calcutta Light Horse veterans. Niven and Peck are perfect in their scenes together. Trevor Howard in a small cameo-ish type part is Jack Cartwright, a veteran trying to avenge his son's death in Burma with Moore's help. Barbara Kellerman is perfectly sinister and beautiful as Mrs. Cromwell, a woman Stewart meets who may know more than she's letting on. The best part of the supporting cast is seeing all the character actors as the members of the CLH including Kenneth Griffith, Patrick Macnee, Allan Cuthbertson, Percy Herbert, Donald Houston, Graham Stark, and Jack Watson among many others. They aren't given many lines, but just having them in the movie gives it an even bigger sense of credibility. And while the DVD looks great in its widescreen presentation (fullscreen is included too, but does anyone actually watch that version? ), there's nothing in terms of special features, not even a trailer. I know much of the cast has passed on, but an interview with Roger Moore would have been great here. Still, the movie is excellent on its own so don't choose not to buy it just because of the lack of features. An excellent WWII adventure with a great cast, don't miss The Sea Wolves! And if you like this one, try The Wild Geese with some of the same cast and crew!