When Eight Bells Toll

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Matthew D @OceanSage Apr 9, 2026 If Anthony Hopkins was James Bond for a year in this watery adventure in Scotland! Belgian director Étienne Périer’s English spy thriller When Eight Bells Toll (1971) is very cool and a huge surprise. It has all the chaotic silliness of a late 60’s film, but with the gritty shadowy realism of the early 70’s pictures. Périer’s direction is very playful and brisk. Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins is a blast as young spy Commander Philip Calvert. He’s charming, funny, cool, strong, smart, and resourceful. English actor Robert Morley is a riot as the fastidious English Lord Sir Arthur Arnford-Jones, who they call Uncle Arthur. He’s basically like an ever complaining version of M from James Bond. He is hysterical whether he is eating a cookie or whining about Calvert’s spy procedure. French actress Nathalie Delon is gorgeous, charming, and hilarious Charlotte Skouras. In all, When Eight Bells Toll is very cute. It’s a delight watching Sir Anthony Hopkins trying to be James Bond. See more bao s @RT77741678 Aug 29, 2025 Want to be Bond James, Bond, but it's Hop, Helicopter, Hop! See more R C @RT34436076 Apr 12, 2025 Great adaptation of Alistair McLean's novel, Anthony Hopkins does his best as a fledgling action star and is pretty good in it. Robert Morley brings his usual gruff favourite uncle act, and Jack Hawkins even though he lost his voice from throat cancer is still a commanding presence. The story is that gold bullion ships are going missing in the Scottish isles and Hopkins and company....Corin Redgrave as his cheerful partner investigate. Excellent photography of the Scottish scenery, great action sequences especially involving a helicopter. The score by Angela Morley is superb. Follows McLean's novel very well. Overall a must see! See more nick s @Nick_S Aug 28, 2024 A no thrills James Bond. Anthony Hopkins was a fine actor but this wasn't a very good vehicle for him. It would have been better if the writer/director wasn't trying to hit all the bond beats. But if you pretend it wasn't imitation then the movie is fairly entertaining. See more Mar 10, 2024 Anthony Hopkins stars in one of his earliest flicks. This one falls in line with the old James Bond movies. Secret agent Philip Calvert is a navy officer hired by the British government. His latest mission is to track down gold bullion smugglers involving sunken ships. Sir Anthony Skouras is the one in charge in Greece. With Calvert assigned to monitor him on the Scottish coast are his findings legit? Skouras is a respected member of society among the locals so he might not be able to touch him. Calvert also gets help from Charlotte, Skouras' wife who finds out about his shady business Calvert does his job breaking the rules not following orders but doing it well A good agent goes beyond the call of duty This is an above average spy flick for a great Thespian actor See more jon c Mar 9, 2021 Anthony Hopkins stars in one of his earliest flicks. This one falls in line with the old James Bond movies. Secret agent Philip Calvert is a navy officer hired by the British government. His latest mission is to track down gold bullion smugglers involving sunken ships. Sir Anthony Skouras is the one in charge in Greece. With Calvert assigned to monitor him on the Scottish coast are his findings legit? Skouras is a respected member of society among the locals so he might not be able to touch him. Calvert also gets help from Charlotte, Skouras' wife who finds out about his shady business Calvert does his job breaking the rules not following orders but doing it well A good agent goes beyond the call of duty This is an above average spy flick for a great Thespian actor See more Read all reviews

When Eight Bells Toll

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