Ghost in the Noonday Sun

A mutinous sailor murders his captain after learning where the crew's treasure is buried, but the victory quickly turns strange. As the killer begins to lose pieces of his memory, he finds himself guided by the ghost of the man he killed. That supernatural presence keeps pointing toward the riches, while the living sailors deal with suspicion, greed, and farcical mishaps. The tone mixes slapstick with darker comedy, and the plot moves through a series of misadventures at sea as the protagonist tries to hold on to what he stole and to the fragments of his own mind.

Released in 1973, the film was directed by Peter Medak from a screenplay by Evan Jones. It features an ensemble led by Peter Sellers, with Anthony Franciosa, Spike Milligan, Clive Revill, and Peter Boyle rounding out the principal cast. The production leans into eccentric performances and period pirate trappings.

Commercially the picture did not turn into a hit, and it failed to maintain a strong presence at the box office. It drew a limited audience on initial release and never achieved widespread financial recognition.

Critics and viewers have generally given mixed to negative assessments, reflected in modest ratings from later viewers. Reviews often call out the film's uneven pacing and tonal shifts, while pointing to Sellers and Milligan for injecting unpredictable energy. Major themes include guilt, the slipping of identity, and how superstition and greed warp behavior, all presented through a comic, sometimes absurd lens.

Over time the movie has acquired a niche reputation, mostly among fans of British and offbeat comedy. It isn't widely quoted or imitated, but it turns up in discussions about unusual entries in Peter Sellers' career and about films that mix dark humor with slapstick. For some viewers it remains an odd curiosity, notable for its cast and for moments that lean toward surreal comedy.