The Wreck of the Mary Deare (film)

The Wreck of the Mary Deare is a 1959 Metrocolor in CinemaScope BritishAmerican thriller film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston, and featuring Michael Redgrave, Cecil Parker, Richard Harris and John Le Mesurier. The screenplay by Eric Ambler was based on the 1956 novel of the same name by Hammond Innes.

The novel was optioned by MGM with the intention of having Alfred Hitchcock direct and Cooper star. Hitchcock had long wanted to work with Cooper, but after developing the script with Ernest Lehman for several weeks, they concluded that it couldnt be done without turning the movie into a boring courtroom drama. They abandoned the idea and started a new story which eventually became North by Northwest.The task of adapting the novel passed to Eric Ambler. British director Michael Anderson took over for Hitchcock. The cast included Cooper as Patch, and Charlton Heston as Sands, with Richard Harris and Sir Michael Redgrave in supporting roles. Critics generally agree that the finished film matches Hitchcock and Lehmans prediction. There were long delays in filming due to Gary Coopers ill health, although he was not diagnosed with cancer until the spring of 1960. ........

Source: Wikipedia