When Eight Bells Toll cover art

When Eight Bells Toll Details

1971 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 441 members

A Naval Secret Service agent's tough assignment is to stop the ruthless pirating of gold bullion in the Irish Sea. The trail takes him to a tiny port in the Hebrides where mysterious disappearances of boats, yachts and people are commonplace.. Read more

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Robert Morley, Nathalie Delon, Jack Hawkins
Director Etienne Perier
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

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When Eight Bells Toll cover art

When Eight Bells Toll

A Naval Secret Service agent's tough assignment is to stop the ruthless pirating of gold bullion in the Irish Sea. The trail takes him to a tiny port in the Hebrides where mysterious disappearances of boats, yachts and people are commonplace..

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Robert Morley, Nathalie Delon, Jack Hawkins, Corin Redgrave, Derek Bond
Director Etienne Perier
Studio CARLTON VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT LTD
Run time DVD: 1 hr 30 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 17 Mar 2004
Production year: 1971
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of When Eight Bells Toll

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Made at an early stage in Anthony Hopkins's film career, this Alistair MacLean adventure gave him a rare opportunity to play an action hero. In a story about piracy (adapted by MacLean himself), he plays his naval agent as a single-minded professional, intent on doing the job without falling for the high-life distractions that other spies are prone to. Consequently, he comes across as rather charmless and we find ourselves longing for more of Robert Morley's delicious comic turn as Hopkins's spymaster.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Adapted by Alistair MacLean from his own novel, this has young Hopkins as a secret service agent investigating the... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of When Eight Bells Toll

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  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Hopkins is pure class in otherwise routine actioner.

    I first saw this as young teenager not long after it was released. Even as a callow youth I recognised something in the early Anthony Hopkins as marking him as an out-of the ordinary actor. The film is actually a pretty good bit of action hokum, but it's Hopkins that makes it memorable. Even in this lightweight role, you can see he's always thinking himself into the role, giving little touches to make it convincing. For example, the film starts with a sequence of his character hauling himself up the anchor chain of a ship, and moving along the deck. He takes cover, and pauses, eyes alert and searching for signs of danger. Okay, fairly routine, but note Hopkin's breathing in this set-up - the actor has remembered the context of the shot, and is clearly breathing hard from his supposedly recent exertions. It's such touches and attention to detail that makes Hopkins so watchable in everything he does.

    In all, well worth a watch for the Hopkins, a delicious Robert Morley, good location work, and a brisk plot.

      • A customer from Wales
      • Posted 28 Jun 2004 10:12

  • Most recent members' review of When Eight Bells Toll

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  • Rated - 4 stars

    Dead good.

    Poignant retelling of the life of the, now deceased, Michael Cain character and his subsequent funeral arrangements. The great and the good of British film put on a tour de force in this adaptation of Graham Swift’s award winning book. A real tear jerker and no mistake.

      • Claude from Berwick upon Tweed
      • Posted 03 May 2005 10:44

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Rating breakdown

441 Member ratings
  • 100
40
  • 90
26
  • 80
71
  • 70
70
  • 60
110
  • 50
49
  • 40
28
  • 30
17
  • 20
21
  • 10
9

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      • A Naval Secret Service agent's tough assignment is to stop the ruthless pirating of gold bullion in the Irish Sea. The trail takes him to a tiny port in the Hebrides where mysterious disappearances ...