Some great underwater action sequences and clever reporte between Anthony Hopkins and Robert Morley are the highlights of this Bond like thriller based upon Alastair Maclean's novel. You've got all the elements of what made Bond so popular, but as much as I like him, I'd never think of Anthony Hopkins as a substitute for Sean Connery or even George Lazenby, the two Bond's up to this point. Hopkins had a respectable reputation by this point, but he hadn't yet established a screen image that would characterize him for these types of parts. His interactions with boss Morley are like something out of a Noel Coward play and are amazingly witty and full of surprises.
In additional support are Jack Hawkins, commanding as ever as owner of the classy yacht the Shangri-La, desperate to find its lost horizon of stolen gold bullion. As his exotic, younger wife, Nathalie Delon basically falls into the pit of the many other exotic European femme fatales caught up in these convoluted plots. Not bad or great, just obviously not worthy of a series, and when film fans discuss Bond ripoffs or Hopkins films, it's not surprising that this one isn't mentioned. Still an okay time filler, but the wrong choice of a leading man meant that it wouldn't have the shelf life that 007 did.
In additional support are Jack Hawkins, commanding as ever as owner of the classy yacht the Shangri-La, desperate to find its lost horizon of stolen gold bullion. As his exotic, younger wife, Nathalie Delon basically falls into the pit of the many other exotic European femme fatales caught up in these convoluted plots. Not bad or great, just obviously not worthy of a series, and when film fans discuss Bond ripoffs or Hopkins films, it's not surprising that this one isn't mentioned. Still an okay time filler, but the wrong choice of a leading man meant that it wouldn't have the shelf life that 007 did.