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In 1901, two British yachtsmen visiting Germany's Frisian Islands accidentally discover a German plot to invade England.In 1901, two British yachtsmen visiting Germany's Frisian Islands accidentally discover a German plot to invade England.In 1901, two British yachtsmen visiting Germany's Frisian Islands accidentally discover a German plot to invade England.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe author of the novel, Erskine Childers, was a British Army veteran of the Boer War and World War I. He became an Irish nationalist and revolutionary leader. He was later executed during the Irish Civil War on November 24, 1922. His son Erskine Hamilton Childers served as the fourth President of Ireland from June 25, 1973 until his death on November 17, 1974.
- GoofsWhen Clara visits just after the attempted ramming, she is wearing a hat and coat. When she leaves and rows away, she is just wearing a dress without the coat and hat. She is clearly seen throwing the coat into the boat before rowing away.
- Quotes
Davies: Do you realize that England has not defenses at all facing Germany? No North Sea fleet? And all her naval bases are in the south: Portsmouth, Chatham.
Carruthers: Historical accident.
Davies: Oh quite! But now it's not France whom we have to guard against. Germany is growing stronger every single day, and very soon, her navy will rival ours.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits prologue: Frisian Islands, Germany 1901
- ConnectionsFeatured in Wonderland: Episode #1.4 (2022)
Featured review
It's probably impossible to transfer the cozy atmosphere of Erskine Childers's book to the screen, but Maylam's attempt is a creditable one. The Dutch and German villages, the sand banks, the coastline, all in muted browns and greys, look every bit as dull as you'd expect them to, but we begin to see their attraction; and something of the feeling of day-to-day life on a boat is conveyed to us. A nice score by Howard Blake helps give us the measure of things.
It's what we COULD have expected to survive transition to the screen - excitement - that's most really lacking. Childers's novel was (so everyone says) the first modern spy story. In addition to a love of the sea it also conveys a sense of menace, a feeling that something of importance hangs on the riddle of the sands, which the film, blandly paced and having to resort now and then to first-person narration, doesn't. It's still pleasing enough, especially if you've read the book and the film isn't giving away any of its secrets.
It's what we COULD have expected to survive transition to the screen - excitement - that's most really lacking. Childers's novel was (so everyone says) the first modern spy story. In addition to a love of the sea it also conveys a sense of menace, a feeling that something of importance hangs on the riddle of the sands, which the film, blandly paced and having to resort now and then to first-person narration, doesn't. It's still pleasing enough, especially if you've read the book and the film isn't giving away any of its secrets.
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- Also known as
- Bei Nacht und Nebel
- Filming locations
- Bushey Studios, Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK(studio: The Riddle of the Sans was filmed in)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- £1,000,000 (estimated)
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By what name was The Riddle of the Sands (1979) officially released in India in English?
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