James Prothero, forty-three years old and up to his ears in alcohol, is the skipper of a tramp ship due to leave South America for Britain – and he’s sick to death of carting goods back and forth across the world. Then he meets Manuela, a beautiful native girl smuggled on board by one of his crew, and comes to realise that she, too, is a lost soul. Gradually a love affair develops between them, and Prothero becomes dangerously blind to the responsibilities of his position.

Trevor Howard
as James Prothero

Elsa Martinelli
as Manuela Hunt

Pedro Armendáriz
as Mario Constanza

Donald Pleasence
as Evans

Jack MacGowran
as Tommy

Leslie Weston
as Bleloch

Warren Mitchell
as Moss

Christopher Lee
as Voice (voice)

Roger Delgado
as Stranger

Harcourt Curaçao
as Wellington Jones