Best movies like The Riddle of the Sands
Last updated March 2024
Looking for movies similar to The Riddle of the Sands? Leverage your expertise to lead others toward tv series and films you've watched previously that may also preoccupy them. Support increasing the cohort of people bringing up videos among each other. We appreciate your contribution!
Plot Summary:
In the early years of the 20th Century, two British yachtsmen (Michael York and Simon MacCorkindale) stumble upon a German plot to invade the east coast of England in a flotilla of specially designed barges. They set out to thwart this terrible scheme, but must outwit not only the cream of the German Navy, but the feared Kaiser Wilhelm himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, exciting, realistic, independent film
Best tv shows and movies like The Riddle of the Sands (1979):
Similar in 75%
Escape to Nowhere (1973)
Plot Summary:
Who is Anton Haliakov, who has just been abducted by the M.I.5 in London? A Soviet scientist apparently. But sixteen years before the man had another identity, Clément Tibère, and another nationality, French. So what led him to become Russian and to change identity? And why are the British secret services interested in him?.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: France, Italy
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, eurospy
Similar in 83%
Green Sails (2000)
Plot Summary:
When ambitious CCT exec Will Patterson uncovers a corporate conspiracy, his life spirals out of control. With an unlikely ally and beautiful crusader to guide him through his struggle, he travels to the jungles of Indonesia where a tribe--wrongly forced off their land by CCT--and the corporation clash. No matter which side Will chooses--with so many lives on the line, his decision is destined to be a deadly one.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 89
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
Rosebud (1975)
Plot Summary:
In a bold coup a Palestinian terrorist group captures the yacht Rosebud and kidnaps the millionaires five daughters on it. At first they demand film clips to be shown on major European TV stations. Undercover agent Martin is hired to hunt the terrorists down.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 983
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, political thriller, political drama
Similar in 79%
The 39 Steps (2008)
Plot Summary:
Richard Hannay, a mining engineer on holiday from the African colonies, finds London socialite life terribly dull. Yet it's more than he bargained for when secret agent, Scudder, bursts into his room and entrusts him with a coded notebook, concerning the impending start of World War I. In no time both German agents and the British law are chasing him, ruthlessly coveting the Roman numerals code, which Hannay believes he must crack himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, clever, serious, suspenseful, period piece, crime thriller, surprise ending, captivating, realistic, period drama
Similar in 75%
Caribe (1987)
Plot Summary:
Prepare to get tangled in the jungles of Belize when an arms smuggler loses her partner in a deadly shootout and finds herself on the run in the tropics of Central America. Helen is an amateur, making her money as an illegal arms trader to Central American terrorists. And as she runs for her life after the deal goes bad, she has no choice but to trusts Jeff, a British Intelligence Agent - it's a life and death chase, where passion and loyalty are easily confused.
IMDB Rating: 4.0
IMDB Votes: 162
Genere: Adventure, Thriller, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, surprise ending
Similar in 88%
The Innocent (1993)
Plot Summary:
A young engineer is sent to post-WWII Berlin to help the Americans in spying on the Russians. In a time and place where discretion is still a man’s best friend, he falls in love with a mysterious woman who will take him on the dark side of evil.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Germany, UK
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: sexual, political thriller, independent film, exciting, sexy, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 88%
To Commit a Murder (1967)
Plot Summary:
A writer gets wrapped up in espionage.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 113
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, West Germany, Italy
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, eurospy
Similar in 80%
The Sea Wolf (1993)
Plot Summary:
Jack London's brutal Wolf Larson brings a shipwrecked aristocrat and a con woman aboard his doomed ship, the Ghost.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 935
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
The Wilby Conspiracy (1975)
Plot Summary:
Having spent 10 years in prison for nationalist activities, Shack Twala is finally ordered released by the South African Supreme Court but he finds himself almost immediately on the run after a run-in with the police. Assisted by his lawyer Rina Van Niekirk and visiting British engineer Jim Keogh, he heads for Capetown where he hopes to recover a stash of diamonds, meant to finance revolutionary activities, that he had entrusted to a dentist before his incarceration. Along the way, they are followed by Major Horn of the South African State security bureau and it becomes apparent that he has no intention of arresting them until they reach their final destination.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, captivating, political
Similar in 83%
The Insurgents (2006)
Plot Summary:
Set in a post-9/11 America, four Americans come together to build a truck bomb and plan to detonate it on a target in the U.S. Highlighting the days leading up to the event.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 331
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, independent film, realistic
Similar in 75%
Zeppelin (1971)
Plot Summary:
The outbreak of World War I places Scots officer Geoffrey Richter-Douglas in an uncomfortable position. Although his allegiance is to Britain, his mother was from an aristocratic Bavarian family, and he spent his summers in Germany as a child. When Geoffrey is approached by a German spy who offers him a chance to defect, he reports the incident to his superiors, but instead of arresting the spy they suggest that he accept her offer--and become an Allied agent. In Germany, among old friends, Geoffrey discovers that loyalty is more complicated than he expected, especially when he finds himself aboard the maiden voyage of a powerful new prototype Zeppelin, headed for Scotland on a secret mission that could decide the outcome of the war.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, eurospy
Similar in 80%
Resistance (2011)
Plot Summary:
It is 1944 and the D-Day invasion has failed, Germany's army have successfully invaded England and the Nazi war-machine is now heading west towards Wales. A group of women in an isolated Welsh village near the English border wake up to discover all of the their husbands have mysteriously vanished. They have headed into the mountains to join the Resistance.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK, Germany
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, suspenseful, realistic, interesting, period drama
Similar in 90%
Morituri (1965)
Plot Summary:
A German living in India during World War II is blackmailed by the English to impersonate an SS officer on board a cargo ship leaving Japan for Germany carrying a large supply of rubber for tyres. His mission is to disable the scuttling charges so the captain cannot sink the ship if they are stopped by English warships.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: black and white, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense, patriotic, vintage
Similar in 83%
Triple Cross (1966)
Plot Summary:
A safecracker turns double agent during WWII.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK, France, West Germany
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: political thriller, serious, realistic, suspenseful, eurospy
Similar in 88%
The Defector (1966)
Plot Summary:
Professor Bower, an American physicist, is effectively blackmailed by a shady CIA agent named Adams to help the CIA obtain secret microfilm from a defecting Russian scientist. The reluctant Bower travels to East Germany undercover as an antiques collector where he encounters Heinzmann, an East German fellow physicist, who is also a secret agent. Heinzmann is aware of Bower's meeting with Adams and his intention to steal the microfilm, however their mutual respect for one another's tactics complicate the proceedings.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 804
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: France, West Germany
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, eurospy, microfilm
Similar in 83%
The Quiller Memorandum (1966)
Plot Summary:
Two British agents are murdered by a mysterious Neonazi organization in West Berlin. The British Secret Service sends agent Quiller to investigate. Soon Quiller is confronted with Neonazi chief "Oktober" and involved in a dangerous game where each side tries to find out the enemy's headquarters at any price.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: neo noir, political thriller, independent film, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, eurospy
Similar in 76%
Behind Enemy Lines (1985)
Plot Summary:
Professor-turned-spy Col. Calvin Turner and his associate, workaholic Lt. Shelley Flynn, plan a daring rescue behind enemy lines in World War II German-occupied Norway of a brilliant scientist who may or may not be aiding the Germans.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 80
Genere: Drama, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Similar in 76%
Gray Lady Down (1978)
Plot Summary:
The USS Neptune, a nuclear submarine, is sunk off the coast of Connecticut after a collision with a Norwegian cargo ship. The navy must attempt a potentially dangerous rescue in the hope of saving the lives of the crew.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, exciting, realistic, disaster movie
Similar in 80%
Deadliest Sea (2009)
Plot Summary:
Based on the book Working on the Edge by Spike Walker, Deadliest Sea tells the story of a young man who joins the crew of a King Crab trawler in Alaska seeking to make some real money. The captain of the vessel plays a hunch about where to set traps in the Bering Sea, but the boat and crew are soon victims of a powerful and relentless storm.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 259
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, realistic, suspenseful, serious
Similar in 78%
Moby Dick (1998)
Plot Summary:
The sole survivor of a lost whaling ship relates the tale of his captain's self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, Australia, USA
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, serious, suspenseful, suspense, epic, costume drama, atmospheric, realistic, contemplative
Similar in 78%
A High Wind in Jamaica (1965)
Plot Summary:
In 1870, a Jamaican colonial family sends its children to Britain for proper schooling, but their ship is taken over by pirates, who become fond of the kids.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: exciting, realistic, serious, captivating, stylized, vintage
Similar in 81%
The Sea Wolf (2008)
Plot Summary:
The Sea-Wolf is based on a 1904 psychological adventure novel by American novelist Jack London, about a literary critic, who is survivor of an ocean collision. He then comes under the dominance of Wolf Larsen, the powerful and amoral sea captain who rescues him.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 214
Genere: Adventure, Drama
Country: Germany
Duration: 179 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, serious, realistic
Similar in 81%
Hornblower: Duty (2003)
Plot Summary:
The Hornblower series is based on C.S. Forester's classic maritime adventures - the story of one young man's struggle to become a leader of men. Set against the back drop of the 18th century Anglo-French wars, the bloodiest time in British naval history. Admiral Pellew interrupts Hornblower's wedding reception and tasks him to locate a British ship which has disappeared off the French coast, where Napoleon's troops are engaged in covert activities.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, feel good, period piece, realistic, period drama
Similar in 84%
Hornblower: Loyalty (2003)
Plot Summary:
Hornblower is given a dangerous mission to deliver an emigre French nobleman to a secret rendezvous near Brest while coping with enemy agents in his own ranks.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 125 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, feel good, period drama
Similar in 88%
Horatio Hornblower: The Wrong War (1999)
Plot Summary:
The Hornblower series is based on C.S. Forester's classic maritime adventures - the story of one young man's struggle to become a leader of men. Set against the back drop of the 18th century Anglo-French wars, the bloodiest time in British naval history.Lt. Hornblower and his mates are sent to accompany a doomed royalist invasion of revolutionary France.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: feel good, period piece, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, period drama
Similar in 80%
Enigma (1982)
Plot Summary:
Five highly-trained KGB agents are sent to the west to assassinate several Soviet dissidents. In order to stop the diabolical plot, an American agent must infiltrate Soviet intelligence and obtain information from a Russian computer.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, France
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, intense, serious, realistic, political, political thriller, independent film, exciting, romantic, atmospheric
Similar in 88%
The Executioner (1970)
Plot Summary:
A British intelligence agent must track down a fellow spy suspected of being a double agent.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 450
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, talky, suspense, eurospy
Similar in 76%
Sword of Gideon (1986)
Plot Summary:
Chronicles a Mossad team hand picked to hunt down the terrorists involved in the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA, France
Duration: 173 min
Plot tags: action thriller, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
The Eagle Has Landed (1976)
Plot Summary:
When the Nazi high command learns in late 1943 that Winston Churchill will be spending time at a country estate in Norfolk, it hatches an audacious scheme to kidnap the prime minister and spirit him to Germany for enforced negotiations with Hitler.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspense, tense, intense, serious, realistic, suspenseful, political thriller, rough, independent film
Similar in 80%
The Ipcress File (1965)
Plot Summary:
This espionage thriller represents a landmark in spy movies introducing the sly, dry intelligence agent Harry Palmer. The story, centers on Palmer's investigation into British Intelligence security. He's soon enmeshed in a world of double-dealing, kidnap and murder and finds a traitor is operating at the heart of the secret service. Will the mysterious 'Ipcress File' reveal who the traitor is?.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, suspenseful, suspense, exciting, tense, enigmatic, clever, realistic, cynical, retro