The Sea Wolf (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Sea Wolf' (directed by Michael Curtiz & based on a Jack London adventure novel) is a sea-faring action tale from 1941. The 1st shot of a sealing ship slowly emerging from the dense fog is a classic opener. The Sea Wolf' takes place in 1900 and tells the story of that sealing schooner named "The Ghost", its sadistic tyrant of a captain, Wolf Larsen (Edward G. Robinson, so good), & the passengers unfortunate enough to sail aboard. One such seaman is George Leach (John Garfield), a cocky sailor & fugitive who took a job in the crew to evade authorities & get out of San Fran in a hurry. Another passenger onboard is Ruth Webster (Ida Lupino), a prison escapee who is picked up by The Ghost after a colossal ferry wreck.
And intellectual writer Humphrey Van Weyden (Alexander Knox) is aboard as yet another survivor of said ferry wreck. Of course, George & Ruth ultimately fall in love; commiserating in their joint fugitive status. When Humphrey Van Weyden discovers that The Ghost is not a sealing ship, but that Wolf Larsen's only intent is to flee from his brother {Wolf holds a deep, dark secret close to his chest that would threaten the entire crew} ... George, Ruth & Humphrey find themselves to be Wolf's prisoners and, scheme an escape during a crew mutiny. Drama ensues.
'The Sea Wolf' is quite the brutal, creepy, & surprisingly violent movie; certainly violent for 1941 standards. It is also astutely directed, superbly acted, grandly atmospheric, & compulsively watchable. Robinson is dynamic as the callous Wolf Larsen. John Garfield is electric as George Leach; hell bent on finding a way to escape the ship with Ruth. Speaking of Ruth, Ida Lupino is great; matching Garfield in acting expertise. Lupino is always great. There is a moment in the film when Garfield snarls the word "sir" and, the way he delivers it, you'd swear that he unleashed a curse word. This goes to show how the right word, spoken with the right intent & intensity by the right actor can do more than even profane language can do.
Along with the 4 leads, there is great support from Barry Fitzgerald as the ship's rotten cook, Gene Lockhart as the alcoholic doctor trying to recover his dignity, Stanley Ridges, David Bruce, Francis McDonald & Howard Da Silva. Aiding the direction, acting & Robert Rossen's literate screenplay is the imaginative sets by Anton Grot, Sal Polito's brooding, atmospheric black-&-white cinematography, Erich Wolfgang Korngold's masterly music score & Byron Haskin's Academy Award-winning special effects. 'The Sea Wolf' is tight, terse and, for better or worse, will keep you on edge.
And intellectual writer Humphrey Van Weyden (Alexander Knox) is aboard as yet another survivor of said ferry wreck. Of course, George & Ruth ultimately fall in love; commiserating in their joint fugitive status. When Humphrey Van Weyden discovers that The Ghost is not a sealing ship, but that Wolf Larsen's only intent is to flee from his brother {Wolf holds a deep, dark secret close to his chest that would threaten the entire crew} ... George, Ruth & Humphrey find themselves to be Wolf's prisoners and, scheme an escape during a crew mutiny. Drama ensues.
'The Sea Wolf' is quite the brutal, creepy, & surprisingly violent movie; certainly violent for 1941 standards. It is also astutely directed, superbly acted, grandly atmospheric, & compulsively watchable. Robinson is dynamic as the callous Wolf Larsen. John Garfield is electric as George Leach; hell bent on finding a way to escape the ship with Ruth. Speaking of Ruth, Ida Lupino is great; matching Garfield in acting expertise. Lupino is always great. There is a moment in the film when Garfield snarls the word "sir" and, the way he delivers it, you'd swear that he unleashed a curse word. This goes to show how the right word, spoken with the right intent & intensity by the right actor can do more than even profane language can do.
Along with the 4 leads, there is great support from Barry Fitzgerald as the ship's rotten cook, Gene Lockhart as the alcoholic doctor trying to recover his dignity, Stanley Ridges, David Bruce, Francis McDonald & Howard Da Silva. Aiding the direction, acting & Robert Rossen's literate screenplay is the imaginative sets by Anton Grot, Sal Polito's brooding, atmospheric black-&-white cinematography, Erich Wolfgang Korngold's masterly music score & Byron Haskin's Academy Award-winning special effects. 'The Sea Wolf' is tight, terse and, for better or worse, will keep you on edge.