THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS

UK, 1978, 102 minutes, Colour.
Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Simon McCorkindale?, Alan Badel.
Directed by Tony Maylam.

By Jove a 1901 British espionage adventure that delayed World War One. Attractive Dutch and German locations serve for the maze of sands and currents in the Frisian Islands, where the Kaiser and a British traitor were planning an invasion of England. Michael York and Simon McCorkindale?, saying "blast" and "blighter" etc., tread the same heroic steps as Dirk Bogarde and Co. in the 50s in the John Buchan mould. They remind us of a world of uprightness, honour, chivalry and patriotism that may be far more perennial than the 70s might have thought (and a bit genteelly slow for action fans). They do make films like they used to!

1. An adventure story for a 70s audience? Its use of the old cinema traditions and the popular novels of late 19th. and early 20th. century? How enjoyable these old fashioned adventures?

2. The basic appeal of adventure films, daring heroes, plots, coincidences, action? Themes of honesty, patriotism? The neat cataloguing of good and bad, rights and wrongs? A lasting appeal? (The original novel by Erskine Childers was published in 1902 and considered one of the first spy novels).

3. The quality of the adventure, the hero's response to challenge, motivations and purpose?

4. The use of colour, Continental European locations, the focus on the sea, the old village? The pre-World War One atmosphere? Period, decor? The musical score and its use for romantic interludes as well as for melodrama and action? Editing for the pacing of the adventure?

5. Audience involvement via the structure: the introduction to Carruthers at the window smoking and his narrative, his comments about Davies? 1901, the Frisian Islands, the introduction to Davies and his adventures, the characters? The various episodes and the establishing of the riddle? Carruthers' involvement and his commentary? The satisfactory resolution and Carruthers' final observations especially the portentous tone about the Kaiser and Edward VII?

6. How engaging a British hero was Arthur Davies? His yacht, his manner, his awkwardness (despite Oxford!), his work on the yacht? The encounter with Clara and his infatuation with her - and his awkwardness? The introduction to Dollmann and his wife? he interrogation at the meal? The establishing of his manner, interests, charting the sea, his lack of imagination? The traditional British hero?

7. The contrast with Carruthers as hero? His boredom with London, his life at the Club.. the sequence of the arrival of the letter and his sending a telegram? His going for a yacht voyage, his arrival and his disgust with the ship, the walking, the accommodation, the meal? His meal on the Sunday morning and his decision to stay after listening to Davies' story?

8. Their adventures together and audience involvement in them, the yacht itself and sailing it, the atmosphere of the sea, the visit to spy on the barges and Davies' clash with the guard, their rowing through the fog to the island, Carruthers and his overhearing of the whole plot, the tensions at the meal with Dollmann and the other authorities, the train trip and the changing of identity, Carruthers stowing away, ruining the Naval exercise, asking the Kaiser to help him go free, escaping on Dollmann's yacht? The two working together, the bond of friendship and mutual support?

9. The focus on Carruthers and his intelligence, working out strategies and tactics?

10. Davies and his nautical skills and his contribution for Britain?

11. The importance of the climax - the spying at the island, the irony of everyone inviting them to dinner. the tensions at the dinner, the train trip, Carruthers changing, the Kaiser and his arrival, the troops and their presence on the barge, his sabotage, his escape and confrontation with Dollmann, the escape on Dollmann's yacht?

12. How convincing a villain was Dollmann? His Germanic presence, his skills, his origins in England and his mapping and charting the Wash? Carruthers knowing that he was not fully trusted by the Germans? His attempt to shoot Carruthers? Clara's reaction to her father's being a traitor yet wanting to save his life? His being put on the small yacht? The character of his wife and her presence, dislike of the sea, her drinking, her going with her husband? The Kaiser's callous decision to ram the yacht?

13. Clara as heroine - her visits to Davies, her liking for him, interrogation, invitations, shopping, presents? The dilemma about her father, saving his life, her love for Arthur?

14. The presentation of pre-World War one Germans, the Naval officer in the district and his warnings, the engineer and his sinister control of the situation and guidance of the Kaiser, the tensions of the train trip? The German sailors and their bashing Carruthers?

15. The importance of introducing the Kaiser into the film? His control of the expedition, the irony of his letting the rope go for Carruthers, his ramming of Dollmann? The comment about his meeting with Edward VIII?

16. A satisfying action adventure, British stiff-upper lip pace, the quality of the old traditional dialogue and vocabulary? The perennial satisfaction for audiences in this kind of action drama?