The Deep (1977)

Sunken riches can lure divers into far deeper waters than the ocean itself. Peter Yates' underwater thriller "The Deep," adapted by Peter Benchley and Tracy Keenan Wynn from Benchley's bestselling novel, stars Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset as David and Gail, a young couple on a diving vacation in Bermuda. Exploring the wreck of the Goliath, a freighter that sank during World War II, they find an 18th-century Spanish medallion and a vial of morphine, one of thousands still aboard. Seeking answers, they turn to Romer Treece (Robert Shaw), a crusty, secretive treasure hunter who lives in a lighthouse and has spent years searching for a legendary Spanish galleon. Treece realizes the Goliath sank right on top of the old ship, meaning a fortune in Spanish gold may lie buried beneath the drugs. But their discovery also draws the attention of a ruthless local drug lord (Louis Gossett Jr.), who wants the morphine and uses menacing intimidation tactics to frighten the couple into helping him. With help from a hard-drinking old survivor of the Goliath's sinking (Eli Wallach), the three race to recover the treasure and keep the drugs out of the gangster's hands, braving treacherous dives, a lurking giant moray eel and hungry sharks. Some of its elements feel dated today, but its striking underwater photography remains impressive, and John Barry supplies the score.