This is another one of those films from an A+ Director that's just not one of his best unfortunately.
A Pacific Island is home to some peaceful natives. One is a Captain on a ship and has been promoted rapidly up the ranks. He gets married before he goes on his next trip to Tahiti then sets off. In Tahiti he gets into a fight and breaks the jaw of a local important official with connections. He has done nothing wrong but defend himself but he gets 6 months in jail anyhow. They tell him to hold out and it'll be over soon but he can't wait to get back to his wife and proceeds to repeatedly escape and get recaptured. The last time he tries and succeeds but kills a guard accidentally. Throughout all this he has to deal with a sadistic guard who eventually becomes the warden and repeatedly taunts him. The Governor of his home island is not swayed by his innocence from because the law must be upheld regardless. When he finally arrives home, at the same time, a hurricane arrives.
The whole story is really about choosing what's right and wrong with the justice system. The Hurricane is only in the last part of the film...and the best part. John Carradine plays his usual scumbag self as the prison guard without a conscience. I do believe he was the original bad guy in film as he has played those roles since he's been in films. Looking at him you know he's no good but that was his niche so he was typecast with it....effectively I might add. The over-acting comes in the form of Raymond Massey. It's just ridiculous to see him play this holier than thou island Governor who plainly sees the injustice happening and he just keeps his mantra going..."the law must be upheld". It's really a theater type of acting that makes it really corny to watch. If you've ever seen John Barrymore act in film then you'll know what I mean. His type of acting performed by Raymond Massey was not needed. The miscasting came in the way of Jon Hall. Wow what a terrible actor. He is easily one of the best looking male actors in history but if you notice his screen credits after this film, you'll notice they're all B grade stuff. Why you say? Simple...he was a terrible actor. I have never seen him in anything other than this but it's plain to see why he never succeeded in major roles. He needed some serious acting lessons.
The real reason to see this film is last 15 to 20 minutes. The special effects in this are stunning. I have never seen a film about a Hurricane more effective than this. You will feel absolute terror for these people in the end. You will find it hard to believe how realistic these effects are. Even by today's standards it's a 10 on the wow factor.
See this one for the special effects..and maybe to take a notch out of your John Ford film catalog. Other than that it's nothing special imo.
A Pacific Island is home to some peaceful natives. One is a Captain on a ship and has been promoted rapidly up the ranks. He gets married before he goes on his next trip to Tahiti then sets off. In Tahiti he gets into a fight and breaks the jaw of a local important official with connections. He has done nothing wrong but defend himself but he gets 6 months in jail anyhow. They tell him to hold out and it'll be over soon but he can't wait to get back to his wife and proceeds to repeatedly escape and get recaptured. The last time he tries and succeeds but kills a guard accidentally. Throughout all this he has to deal with a sadistic guard who eventually becomes the warden and repeatedly taunts him. The Governor of his home island is not swayed by his innocence from because the law must be upheld regardless. When he finally arrives home, at the same time, a hurricane arrives.
The whole story is really about choosing what's right and wrong with the justice system. The Hurricane is only in the last part of the film...and the best part. John Carradine plays his usual scumbag self as the prison guard without a conscience. I do believe he was the original bad guy in film as he has played those roles since he's been in films. Looking at him you know he's no good but that was his niche so he was typecast with it....effectively I might add. The over-acting comes in the form of Raymond Massey. It's just ridiculous to see him play this holier than thou island Governor who plainly sees the injustice happening and he just keeps his mantra going..."the law must be upheld". It's really a theater type of acting that makes it really corny to watch. If you've ever seen John Barrymore act in film then you'll know what I mean. His type of acting performed by Raymond Massey was not needed. The miscasting came in the way of Jon Hall. Wow what a terrible actor. He is easily one of the best looking male actors in history but if you notice his screen credits after this film, you'll notice they're all B grade stuff. Why you say? Simple...he was a terrible actor. I have never seen him in anything other than this but it's plain to see why he never succeeded in major roles. He needed some serious acting lessons.
The real reason to see this film is last 15 to 20 minutes. The special effects in this are stunning. I have never seen a film about a Hurricane more effective than this. You will feel absolute terror for these people in the end. You will find it hard to believe how realistic these effects are. Even by today's standards it's a 10 on the wow factor.
See this one for the special effects..and maybe to take a notch out of your John Ford film catalog. Other than that it's nothing special imo.