The film is based on historic events , the US went to war for the first time as an independent nation in 1812 , against the old enemy , Great Britain . Some have called the war ¨foolish and unnecessary¨. For several years American shipping had seen caught in the crossfire between Britain and France during Napoleonic wars . When the President Madison finally declared war on 18 June 1812 , the US navy was a force to be reckoned with , accustomed to ruling the seas , the British fleet was surprised and shaken by a series of American success . The United States was supported by French navy . The war ended with the American victory at the battle of New Orleans 1815 . In the film the captain James Marshall (Mark Stevens) is assigned a dangerous mission to avoid the British blockade and head his ship toward France for receive war loan , a golden anchor . The ship is one of many frigates built as the US drifted towards war with Britain . Marshall recruits to Ben Waldridge (Patrick Knowles) , bringing his previous crew (Gene Evans , Rhys Williams , Denver Pyle , Claytoon Moore, among others) who start scheming a mutiny as soon as aware the existence gold aboard , but they're carrying a treasure calculate the value of $ 10.000 million . Then , the crew confronting among themselves for a part of France's donation to the war effort . Besides the Waldridge's former lover Leslie (Angela Lansbury) who's wishing a bit of gold herself . Meanwhile the main ship repulses a British attack at high sea and harbor and the protagonists use a primitive underwater for counterattack .
The picture contains historic elements , a maritime intrigue and sea fighting with spectacular taking on between ships well made to scale model . Good performances by trio starring , Mark Stevens, Patrick Knowles and special mention an ambitious Angela Lansbury as a femme fatal . She and Mark Stevens developed a friendship and years later she hired him for an episode of her ¨Murder,she wrote¨ series . Besides , an excellent plethora of secondary actors : Gene Evans, Rhys Williams , Clayton Moore (Lone Ranger) , Morris Ankrum and Denver Pyle . Interesting screenplay , though predictable , by the prestigious Philip Yordan . Evocative and appropriate musical score by the classic Dimitri Tiomkin . Colorful cinematography , although worn-out caused by a bad copy, by Ernest Laszlo . The motion picture was professionally directed by Edward Dmytryck who directed another mutiny film , the famed : ¨Caine mutiny¨ and he was a warlike genre expert : ¨Back to Batan , Battle of Anzio , Young lions¨ and Western: ¨Broken lance , Alvarez Kelly, Warlock¨ among other s. Rating : Passable and entertaining, it's recommended for sea adventures enthusiasts .
