The freighter Mary Deare is adrift in stormy seas. Her bulkhead is leaking, her captain is dead, and the crew has abandoned ship -- all except for one man. That man is exhausted first officer Gideon Patch, who has taken command. Appearances indicate he's a madman. But Patch isn't a man who relies on appearances. The Wreck of the Mary Deare is part seafaring adventure, part mystery, part courtroom drama and, with screen titans Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston onboard, all heroic. Michael Anderson (Around the World in 80 Days, Logan's Run) directs from a screenplay by famed spy novelist Eric Ambler. And Richard Harris, in his first year of film acting, gives notice of his talent with an intense portrayal of a seaman who may be part of a duplicitous agenda. We're in treacherous (and exciting) waters -- all ahead, full steam!