If you liked Father Goose, check out an obscure movie with a somewhat similar feel to it: Ferry to Hong Kong. Curd Jurgens plays a scruffy barfly with a temper, and when the authorities have finally had enough of him, they ship him out of Hong Kong to Macao on Captain Orson Welles's ferry. However, Macau won't let him in and ships him back to Hong Kong. Orson hates him, but there's nothing to be done, so back and forth ad nauseum they travel. Enter Sylvia Syms, a pretty and proper English schoolteacher in charge of some Chinese kids who take the ferry every Friday.
This movie does have a darker turn to it, with typhoons and pirates to worry about - but then again, Father Goose has Nazis and snake bites. I loved seeing Curd let his hair down in this fun, comical role. As usual, he's larger than life, and even his drunken demeaner is endearing. Sylvia gives a great Deborah Kerr impression, and you keep hoping for her sake that he'll clean up. He and Sylvia (or he and Deborah, for that matter) could have easily handled Father Goose. Although, Orson Welles with his caterpillar-esque accent and strange expressions probably couldn't have played the straight-faced Trevor Howard counterpart.
There's the most adorable scene when Curd finally cleans up and takes Sylvia "out to dinner" on the ferry since he's legally prohibited from stepping foot on land. Predating The Terminal by fifty years, he prepares a delightful evening on the boat with the help of a few friends and their imagination. They point to empty tables and gossip about other patrons, they look over the menu carefully, and they indulge in martinis, wine, champagne, and brandy. Of course, they're all alone, they only eat bowls of rice, and there's only one little liquor bottle to sustain them. But it's incredibly sweet and easily the best scene in the movie.
If you've only seen Curd playing soldiers or if you want a China Seas adventure with a bit of laughter and a lot of charm, find a copy of this movie. It'll make you an instant fan.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the typhoon scene, the camera tilts back and forth quite a bit, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
This movie does have a darker turn to it, with typhoons and pirates to worry about - but then again, Father Goose has Nazis and snake bites. I loved seeing Curd let his hair down in this fun, comical role. As usual, he's larger than life, and even his drunken demeaner is endearing. Sylvia gives a great Deborah Kerr impression, and you keep hoping for her sake that he'll clean up. He and Sylvia (or he and Deborah, for that matter) could have easily handled Father Goose. Although, Orson Welles with his caterpillar-esque accent and strange expressions probably couldn't have played the straight-faced Trevor Howard counterpart.
There's the most adorable scene when Curd finally cleans up and takes Sylvia "out to dinner" on the ferry since he's legally prohibited from stepping foot on land. Predating The Terminal by fifty years, he prepares a delightful evening on the boat with the help of a few friends and their imagination. They point to empty tables and gossip about other patrons, they look over the menu carefully, and they indulge in martinis, wine, champagne, and brandy. Of course, they're all alone, they only eat bowls of rice, and there's only one little liquor bottle to sustain them. But it's incredibly sweet and easily the best scene in the movie.
If you've only seen Curd playing soldiers or if you want a China Seas adventure with a bit of laughter and a lot of charm, find a copy of this movie. It'll make you an instant fan.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the typhoon scene, the camera tilts back and forth quite a bit, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"