"Voyage of the Damned" is a fictionalized account of a real event that sadly occurred in 1939....just before the start of WWII. The Germans hatched a horrid plot...to arrange for a highly publicized transport of a cruiseship filled with Jews to arrive abroad to live out their lives. Why was it horrid? Because the German government knew that the Cuban government (as well as most others) didn't want the Jews and they'd refuse them admission. Then, when the Germans later killed the Jews it was because the other nations refused to accept them...leaving ther Nazis 'no choice' but to liquidate them. Ghoulish and hard to watch, that's for sure....and that's a problem with the film. While I liked the movie and recommend it, it's a foregone conclusion that bad things will come of most of this. So, if you want a feel-good film, this is NOT it!
The story reminded me in many ways of the Irwin Allen epics of the 1970s. This is because the film is very, very heavy with cameos by various top stars. Sadly, however, many of these cameos were stupid. I am referring to the 'Cubans' in the film....played by the likes of Orson Welles, Michael Constantine and others...folks who seem about as Cuban as Keye Luke!! Only José Ferrer (a Puerto Rican) seemed plausible as a Cuban. As for the many cameos of the passengers, most were actually Jewish actors and they were excellent...as was Swedish actor Max Von Sydow as the Captain.
Overall, it's a depressing piece of history that is very watchable IF you have a high tolerance for sad flicks. I'd watch it if I was you.
The story reminded me in many ways of the Irwin Allen epics of the 1970s. This is because the film is very, very heavy with cameos by various top stars. Sadly, however, many of these cameos were stupid. I am referring to the 'Cubans' in the film....played by the likes of Orson Welles, Michael Constantine and others...folks who seem about as Cuban as Keye Luke!! Only José Ferrer (a Puerto Rican) seemed plausible as a Cuban. As for the many cameos of the passengers, most were actually Jewish actors and they were excellent...as was Swedish actor Max Von Sydow as the Captain.
Overall, it's a depressing piece of history that is very watchable IF you have a high tolerance for sad flicks. I'd watch it if I was you.