Strange Cargo *** (1940, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Ian Hunter, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Eduardo Ciannelli) – Classic Movie Review 3,254

‘As for going places with you, I still pick my own gutters.’ MGM’s strange but stirring 1940 adventure movie Strange Cargo sees Clark Gable and Joan Crawford pairing up for the eighth time.

Producer-director Frank Borzage’s strange but stirring 1940 adventure movie Strange Cargo sees Clark Gable and Joan Crawford pairing up for the eighth and final time.

However, the main story is about a breakout from a South America Devil’s Island penal colony by a small shipload of convicts who include a strange spiritual saviour figure called Cambreau (Ian Hunter) who seems to know what is going to happen.

Romance, adventure and mysticism are all thrown into the heady, slightly indigestible brew here and, even if it doesn’t all work, it is always intriguing.

In the shaky sections, the movie is certainly still propelled along by the ace stars and top character playing by co-stars Peter Lorre as M’sieu Pig, Paul Lukas as Hessler, Albert Dekker as Moll, J Edward Bromberg as Flaubert, and Eduardo Ciannelli as Telez, and the long list of supporting actors.

Crawford, playing second fiddle to Gable as saloon girl Julie, an entertainer in a club near Devil’s Island, gives a notable, unusual performance. Gable’s escaping character André Verne hides in her dressing room, before she turns him in to the authorities and he’s re-arrested. But later, he joins the escape of six other convicts and runs into Julie again. The ruffians try to travel through the jungle, board a boat and reach the mainland. 

Franz Waxman’s score also propels the film along, and Robert H Planck’s cinematography impresses.

Crawford has the immortal line: ‘As for going places with you, I still pick my own gutters.’

The Catholic Legion of Decency gave it a ‘condemned’ rating for presenting ‘a naturalistic concept of religion contrary to the teachings of Christ, irreverent use of Scripture, and lustful complications.’ Despite MGM cuts, the film faced bans across the States, harming box office, which was $1.914 million worldwide against a $1.25 million budget. Better box office was expected, as it is Gable’s first release after Gone with the Wind. 

The screenplay by Lawrence Hazard, Lesser Samuels and Anita Loos is adapted from Richard Sale’s 1936 novel Not Too Narrow… Not Too Deep.

Producer Joseph L Mankiewicz recalled: ‘It was almost a good film.’

Also in the cast are Victor Varconi as Fisherman, Frederick Worlock as Grideau, Bernard Nedell as Marfeu, Paul Fix as Benet, Betty Compson, Charles Judels, Harry Cording, Dewey Robinson, John Arledge as Dufond, Jack Adair, Richard Alexander, Stanley Andrews, Gene Coogan, Richard Cramer, Art Dupuis, William Edmunds, Budd Fine, Eddie Foster, Christian J Frank, Frank Lackteen, Mitchell Lewis, Francis McDonald, Art Miles, Jack Mulhall, Bob O’Conor, James Pierce, Dewey Robinson, Harry Semels, Ray Teal, and Hal Wynants.

Strange Cargo is directed by Frank Borzage, runs 112 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Lawrence Hazard, Lesser Samuels and Anita Loos, shot by Robert H Planck, produced by Frank Borzage and Joseph L Mankiewicz, scored by Franz Waxman, and designed by Cedric Gibbons.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3,254

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/