As the War of 1812 breaks out between the United States and Britain, Captain James Marshall is asked to undertake a mission of running the blockade of the US coast being operated by the British, for to collect a war loan in gold obtained from private citizens in France. The purpose of the loan is to assist a build up the fledgling US fleet against the British Navy.
Marshall asks Ben Waldridge, a former Royal Navy captain who was cashiered by the Navy, to be his First Officer on board the Concord which is purported to be fastest ship the United States has. Waldridge helps Marshall by pulling a crew together that consists mostly of his loyal former gun crew and is led by two men: Hook (has a hook for one of his hands), and Redlegs. They both make the assumption that Waldridge will be their captain and are a bit surprised and suspicious to learn that he won't be.
The crew is not made aware of the true purpose of the mission. However, early on the journey to France, Redlegs lowers Hook over the side of the ship in order to eavesdrop outside the window of the Captain's quarters. He overhears Marshall and Waldridge talking details of the $10 million in gold they are to bring back to the US.
Realizing that there will be gold coming on board, Hook and Redlegs immediately plot mutiny and count on Waldridge to go along with them to captain the ship just like the old days. They privately reveal to Waldridge that they know the purpose of the mission to France is to bring back gold. Surprised at what they know, he swears them to secrecy. But they immediately betray by telling their crew mates who then all begin to try and figure out what their individual shares will be.
After arriving off the coast of France at Le Havre, Leslie, Waldridge's former sweetheart, is brought on board after Marshall and Waldridge make an excursion into the town in a small boat. Hook and Redlegs immediately assume the gold is hidden in her luggage and when Waldridge leaves the room search it right in front of her. They are flummoxed at not finding it. Instead of being angry or crying for help, Leslie's response to their bold and callous search of her things reveals her to be just as gold-loving and mutinous as they are. As additional motivation, she arrived on board assuming Waldridge was Captain of the ship and is indignant to learn that he is merely serving as Marshall's First Officer expressing that such lower status is unbecoming of him and of her own ambitions.
Leslie suggests to Hook and Redlegs that the gold might have been brought on board in the form of a large anchor. They sneak to the front of the ship and secretly scratch the surface of the anchor which reveals the gold. With the discovery of the actual gold, mutinous plot is back on, but first the ship has to escape the English Channel and make it back to the United States. After evading one British Man-o-war (during which Waldridge's life is saved by Marshall after having been dragged overboard by a rope attached to a cannon) it's smooth sailing toward the Bahamas. Until just before turning north toward Salem, Massachusetts, when the plot is sprung.
The film was the first made by Edward Dmytryk after he gave testimony to the HUAC. The King Brothers signed him in May 1951 (he gave testimony in April).[1] Dmytryk was the first member of the ten to give testimony and it was the first time a member of the Hollywood Ten had been signed to make a film in Hollywood since the blacklist. Congressman John Wood supported the signing, saying that it encouraged testimony.[2][3]
The Variety review called it "a routine [box office] grosser. ... Unfortunately, after building so elaborately to stress the patriotic yen of Stevens and his daring in setting out with a lightly-armed boat to get the French gold, the story falls to pieces."[4]
The film opened in March 1952 had a domestic box office take of $1.2 million (equivalent to $11 million in 2023).[5][6]
