The Wreck of the Mary Deare

John Sands (Charlton Heston) runs a salvage operation. When he discovers the Mary Deare floundering in the English Channel, he decides to board it and claim it. Once on board, he discovers the ship is simply deserted, except for one violent and hostile man named Gideon Patch (Gary Cooper). He hears the amazing story that Captain Patch tells and decides to assist him by scuttling the ship in a reef and hiding the location from Sir Wilfred Falcett (Emlyn Williams) who will order an investigation and the owner Mr. Nyland (Michael Redgrave) because someone is using the ship to help the Chinese Communist government.