The film tells of real-life Robin Lee Graham (Joseph Bottoms), a 16-year-old boy who sets sail in a 23-foot sloop in attempt to be the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo.

On one of his stops after setting sail, he meets and falls in love with the gregarious and attractive Patti Ratteree (Deborah Raffin).

As he travels around the globe, Graham experiences many adventures on the sea and land as he matures from a teenager to a young adult.

National Geographic Magazine carried the story in three issues from 1966 to 1970, and he co-wrote a book detailing his journey called Dove.

His first effort, an adaptation of the play, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, had not been a success so he spent six months reading material to find his next project.

He knew Nat Cohen and Bernard Delfont of EMI Films from being on the board of Capitol Records.

[1] Director Charles Jarrott said the film will "make a positive statement about a youth who set out to do something and succeeded.

"[11] Jarott later called the movie "an exercise in logistics" and came about because Peck "desperately wanted to make a film about an American winner.

[13] Peck says at one time they discussed casting "one or two rock stars" in the lead roles "but they're kind of practiced and slick and a little too sophisticated.

"[11] Actors considered included David Cassidy, Richard Thomas and Edward Albert Jr. Joseph Bottoms, then best known for the TV movie version of Winesburg, Ohio, was cast in the lead role.

Robin and Patti actually married about halfway through his journey, in South Africa, but the film saves their marriage for the finale, and places it in the Galapagos Islands.

Yet she appreciated Sven Nykvist's cinematography and wrote, "The Dove ... is probably far too wholesome for most of the families I know, although there may be a radiant audience lurking just outside the realms of my acquaintance ... Joseph Bottoms, as the young sailor, smiles too much in the first half of the movie; after that, he cries too much.

His initial overwhelming sunniness turns the viewer into a sadist: You're glad when his cat gets killed or grateful when a shark appears in the ocean.

Deborah Raffin, as his winsome girlfriend, is rarely allowed to stop laughing and wagging her head; the two grin and glow at each other until you yearn for a catastrophe.

"[21] The staff at Variety magazine said, "... an odyssey which provides nautical chills and thrills (as well as breathtaking scenics) aplenty ... Pic really takes off when he meets the girl (played with gauche hesitation at first, but then with beauty and considerable charm by Deborah Raffin) ... Their yes-no yes-no-yes affair is nicely handled.

[26] An original motion picture soundtrack of the film was released in 1974 by ABC Records and contained thirteen tracks (00:31:43).

The song "Sail the Summer Winds", sung by Lyn Paul, was nominated for a Golden Globe and was a top selling hit in England.

A bootleg CD version of the soundtrack with the 13 original tracks was released January 28, 2009 by Harkit Records in the UK.

On March 31, 2015 Intrada released the officially licensed CD premiere the score, newly re-mixed and re-mastered from original 8-channel session masters[28] Original 1974 soundtrack album 1) The Dove (Main Title) (3:05) 2) Sail The Summer Winds+ (3:11) 3) Hitch-Hike To Darwin (2:14) 4) Patty And Robin (2:20) 5) Here There Be Dragons (3:09) 6) Mozambique (2:16) 7) The Motorbike And The Dove (1:24) 8) Xing’mombila (2:10) 9) Alone On The Wide, Wide Sea (3:52) 10) Porpoise Escort (2:31) 11) After The Fire (1:50) 12) Sail The Summer Winds+ (2:21) 13) The Dove (End Title) (1:55) The Extras – Stereo Album Mixes (No EFX) 14) Xing’mombila – Part 1 (No EFX) (0:25) 15) Xing’mombila – Part 2 (No EFX) (0:33) 16) The Dove (End Title) (No EFX) (1:49) The Extras – Previously Unreleased Mono Score Cues 17) Sorta Romantic (1:14) 18) Rotten Cat (0:20) 19) Starting Again (2:28) 20) Near Miss (0:22) 21) From The Depths (2:17) 22) Unknown Seas (1:12) 23) Alone On The Wide, Wide Sea (Complete) (5:00) 24) His Decision (3:11) +Lyricist: Don Black – Vocalist: Lyn Paul