The Riddle Of The Sands (1979)

A British yachtsman (Simon MacCorkindale) is sailing off the Northern coast of Germany in 1901. He suspects he has stumbled across a covert plot by the Imperial German navy to attack England's unprotected North Sea coast. He invites a friend (Michael York) in the British Foreign Office to visit him, ostensibly for duck hunting but in reality to assist him in uncovering the plot. Based on the 1903 novel by Erskine Childers and directed by Tony Maylam. The movie is basically faithful to the novel although the ending has been tampered with to make it more upbeat. The end result is a pleasant old fashioned adventure movie, no sex and very little violence but easily able to hold your interest. I'd almost call it quaint. The wide screen Panavision cinematography by Christopher Challis (CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG) makes handsome use of the Netherlands and German locations. The film was produced by Challis' son, Drummond. With Jenny Agutter providing the romantic interest, Alan Badel and Michael Sheard.