God bless you early thirties Hollywood for making such crazy, over the top films. This is a brilliant and wonderfully melodramatic example of Hollywood on steroids.
On paper the plot must have looked the most ridiculous story ever but on film it works; it seems so utterly believable. Why - because it's acted so perfectly. It's perhaps not the most naturalistic style of acting but it's hypnotically gripping.
In his first staring film role, Charles Laughton is magnificently over-the-top as the crazed proto-Bligh submarine commander. He acts with such intensity that he almost burns a hole into your screen. As outrageous as he is, he still comes across as an absolutely real person. With his character being treated by a 'brain doctor' one does however wonder whether the navy's personnel screening procedures were a little slack back in 1932.
Whereas Charles Laughton performance is like Led Zeppelin with the amp at eleven, Tallulah Bankhead's has the sensitivity and intensity of a Pink Floyd epic. In a different way to Laughton, she's just as intense and complements her co-star perfectly. She is so good that you feel like applauding. Not just for the early thirties but her outstanding acting in this nutty picture is amongst the best of I've ever seen. An amazing actress and an amazing woman. I love her reply in an interview when she was asked why she agreed to appear in this picture: For the opportunity to 'bleep' Gary Cooper. What a girl!
On paper the plot must have looked the most ridiculous story ever but on film it works; it seems so utterly believable. Why - because it's acted so perfectly. It's perhaps not the most naturalistic style of acting but it's hypnotically gripping.
In his first staring film role, Charles Laughton is magnificently over-the-top as the crazed proto-Bligh submarine commander. He acts with such intensity that he almost burns a hole into your screen. As outrageous as he is, he still comes across as an absolutely real person. With his character being treated by a 'brain doctor' one does however wonder whether the navy's personnel screening procedures were a little slack back in 1932.
Whereas Charles Laughton performance is like Led Zeppelin with the amp at eleven, Tallulah Bankhead's has the sensitivity and intensity of a Pink Floyd epic. In a different way to Laughton, she's just as intense and complements her co-star perfectly. She is so good that you feel like applauding. Not just for the early thirties but her outstanding acting in this nutty picture is amongst the best of I've ever seen. An amazing actress and an amazing woman. I love her reply in an interview when she was asked why she agreed to appear in this picture: For the opportunity to 'bleep' Gary Cooper. What a girl!