The Sea Wolves

During World War II, German submarines are sinking Allied merchant ships in the Indian Ocean with troubling accuracy. British intelligence traces the leaks to a radio transmitter hidden aboard a German vessel anchored in Goa, a Portuguese colony that remains neutral in the conflict. Because the harbor cannot be attacked openly without violating Portuguese neutrality, British commanders turn to an unlikely solution: a group of aging British veterans living in India, men whose years of service date back to earlier campaigns. Their age and civilian appearance make them ideal cover for a covert operation to put the German transmitter out of action. The mission requires careful planning and deception, with part of the group creating a diversion while the rest move against the enemy ship.

The Sea Wolves was released in 1980 and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the fourteenth of the sixteen films he directed in chronological order, following Breakthrough in 1979 and preceding North Sea Hijack later the same year. Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven lead a cast of thirty-four credited performers, among them Trevor Howard, Barbara Kellerman and Patrick Macnee. Reginald Rose and James Leasor wrote the screenplay, and Euan Lloyd and Erwin C. Dietrich produced. Made on a budget of twelve million dollars, the film holds a rating of 6.3 out of 10 on IMDb from around 5,900 votes and 5.9 out of 10 on TMDB from 111 votes, indicating a modest but enduring audience.