I saw this movie approx 10 years ago (or more), late at night. It was in b/w and dubbed into English - I think it was French. I also missed the very start so I can only describe the general plot from some minutes into the film, sorry. The scene is set around a sea port (in Europe/Sth America or similar) suffering obvious hard times (possibly in the mid 20 century). Men are gathering in numbers to try and get a job on the ships. One sailor disembarks from a particular ship (don't know its name) and needs a couple of very specific-nomination coins (value or currency I can't remember) to pay off a debt to his captain I think, and he offers to tell his story to whoever will listen to it, for the payment of these particular coins.

One man looking for work that day says he will listen (and pay) and so they go to a café where the sailor tells his tale of woe – as he begins to tell it the film plays out the story. The story is that the sailor was in a similar position to this man some months/years earlier, desperately seeking work at a port, and took a job on the ship that he had earlier disembarked from. I think the captain of the ship must have loaned him (and possibly others) money upon embarking, on the condition that they stay working on the ship until they pay him back the EXACT amount of money. Now, why they can't simply pay him after they receive a few weeks pay I can't remember, other than to say I guess they don't go to enough ports (or maybe enough specific ports) to get the money in the EXACT DENOMINATIONS OR CURRENCIES, but anyhow the sailor ends up being stuck there, working on the ship for longer than he had hoped.

After a while he feels that something isn't right with the crew. Basically, to keep a long story short, it turns out the crew are all dead/zombies, with sores and worms and maggots, etc are coming out of them, but for some reason he hadn't noticed it earlier. This is evidenced also by the type of food they eat – it is also pretty bad (dead rats, maggots, etc) but he can't get off the ship until he pays his debt.I forget how it ends, I think it ends OK.

now it sounds pretty revolting, but it isn't. It is not the same nature/genre as most horror films that exist purely to spew out blood and guts everywhere with no particular storyline. This film keeps you in suspense right to the end. It is of the ilk of say, the Mexican horror film 'Kronos' or the 'The City of Lost Children', in that it doesn't consist of simply blood and guts and nothing else. This film is good, thrilling suspense with elements of unpredictability from the start. I can highly recommend it, if only I knew its name, and I could also watch it from the start and see the full story! Cheers.

Les trois couronnes du matelot (Three Crowns of the Sailor)?

Les trois couronnes du matelot (Three Crowns of the Sailor)?

To the site editors: I'm not sure how this works as this is the first reply I have ever made, and yet it states below to 'Submit Answer'. Technically, I am actually responding to an answer with a statement, not giving an answer, but I think I know what you mean. Pedantic you may think this is, but also very confusing for first time users. Also, I don't know if this gets posted on a public site for all members to see or if it goes directly and privately to the person who answered my question - these are issues the site editors may choose to take up, if they get to see this.

Anyhow, to 'dias06 Junior Member' - thank u so much you wonderful, wonderful person. This has almost driven me crazy at times trying to find the movie's name. I have spent countless hours over the years searching the net, following threads etc but to no avail. Incidentally, between you, me and the gatepost I even tried another of these sites some time which billed itself as the best/most knowledgeable/blah blah site and they had no idea of the title and I never got a single respone whatsoever. Whereas, this site has answered me - and what's more, correctly - within 24 hours? Incredible!!

Well, dias06, it says in your 'public profile' that you are a junior member - in my humble opinion you have just been promoted to senior level- wise and esteemed movie expert spécialiste extraordinaire. I am stuck in Shanghai and the TV is awful (well no, that's a bit unfair, I chose to be here - I am a visiting Australian Accounting Professor teaching at a couple of universities here and I am enjoying it immensely - but the part about TV is true [... for foreigners anyhow]). I have very little Chinese language skills because I am required to teach in English and 99% of the TV is domestic, which means that it is in Mandarin of course. Your answer is a boon to me because it gives me hope for the future of seeing a decent, understandable and good quality movie! Thank you again, it is a miracle of modern science to get your response. I hope all is well with you and your family in Cape Town.

Now... all I have to do is convert French into pinyin, then translate pinyin into Mandarin, then go shopping... xiexie and zai jian from Shanghai! Hooksy

Ha ha, well I am glad I could help!

Your joy at finding out the name of this movie has made me want to watch it too. Hope it is as good as you remember it to be.

Cape Town is fantastic as always!

If you are stuck on any other movies or general questions, this is the site on which to ask, it never takes too long for a response.

Have an awesome day!

ha ha, well I am glad I could help!

Your joy at finding out the name of this movie has made me want to watch it too. Hope it is as good as you remember it to be.

Cape Town is fantastic as always!

If you are stuck on any other movies or general questions, this is the site on which to ask, it never takes too long for a response.

Have an awesome day!

Wow that was quick too! I will have an awesome day, only it's night time here (7.47) so I'll have an awesome night. Incidentally, I was going to apply for a job at Cape Town University several years ago, but I didn't have my Masters Degree finished at the time so I didn't complete the application. Also, Cape Town was in the news at that time for a lot of horrible reasons (about 2002 I think). However, I want to go to Africa before I die - especially beautiful Cape Town with Table Mountain looming over it (but my wife's not so keen... she's not here in Shanghai either, hmmm... perhaps there's a message in that). Anyhow I'll go because this may not be the accepted thing to do, chat like this here... all the best ciao.

PS update: My wife just informed me that she found the movie online and has ordered it. Thanks to you it will arrive in 2 weeks - hooray! I just hope my mind hasn't been playing tricks on me and it turns out to be nothing but a piece of... bad acting! Cheers.