Strange Cargo (1940 film)

Strange Cargo

Original theatrical poster
Directed by Frank Borzage
Produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Written by Lawrence Hazard
Based on Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep
by Richard Sale
Starring Joan Crawford
Clark Gable
Peter Lorre
Music by Franz Waxman
Cinematography Robert Planck
Edited by Robert J. Kern
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • March 1, 1940 (1940-03-01)
Running time
 113 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,252,000[1]
Box office $1,924,000[1]

Strange Cargo is a 1940 American romantic drama film by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Frank Borzage and starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in a story about a group of fugitive prisoners from a French penal colony. The screenplay by Lawrence Hazard was based upon the 1936 novel, Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep, by Richard Sale. The film was produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and was the eighth and last film pairing of Crawford and Gable. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre.

Synopsis

Julie (Crawford), a cafe entertainer in a town near a French penal colony, meets Verne (Gable), a prisoner on wharf duty. Verne escapes and goes to Julie's room, but is apprehended after M'sieu Pig (Peter Lorre) reports him, and he is returned to prison. Julie is fired for consorting with a prisoner. At the prison, Moll (Albert Dekker) has masterminded a jailbreak and takes Cambreau (Ian Hunter), Telez (Eduardo Ciannelli), Hessler (Paul Lukas), Flaubert (J. Edward Bromberg), and Dufond (John Arledge) with him.

Verne joins the escapees, taking Julie with him. The gentle Cambreau (a Christ figure) exerts a spiritual influence over the others, often reading from and quoting the Bible. As they trek through the jungle, most die with only Verne, Julie, Hessler, and Cambreau surviving the ordeal (Hessler--a Judas figure--disdains Cambreau's salvation and is last seen slinking off into the night, knowing as a gale arises that there is no turning back.) Verne initially scoffs at Cambreau's spirituality, but saves him from drowning (as Cambreau clings to driftwood---again, as a Christ figure on Calvary's cross) and penitently decides to return to the prison to finish his sentence. Julie has grown to love Verne and promises to wait for him.

Though both the original novel and the film's screenplay are allegorical with many Christian elements, they present an ultimately humanist philosophy (rather than evangelical Christian theology) as the story's central message.

Cast

Joan Crawford ... Julie
Clark Gable ... André Verne
Ian Hunter ... Cambreau
Peter Lorre ... M'sieu Pig
Paul Lukas ... Hessler
Albert Dekker ... Moll
J. Edward Bromberg ... Flaubert
Eduardo Ciannelli ... Telez
John Arledge ... Dufond
Frederick Worlock ... Grideau (billed as Frederic Worlock)
Bernard Nedell ... Marfeu
Victor Varconi... Fisherman

Reception

Film Daily noted, "Here is a good, raw, stark melodrama which holds suspense from the start. Frank Borzage has given it expert directorial attention...Clark Gable fits his role admirably...The acting is high-grade with Joan Crawford giving her best performance to date."

Variety commented, "Although the picture has its many deficiencies, the Crawford characterization will give studio execs idea of proper casting of her talents for the future. Direction by Frank Borzage fails to hit the dramatic punches...He has not clearly defined the spiritual redemption angle, which also adds to the audience confusion. The screenplay does not help Borzage out of his predicament."[2]

Gross

According to MGM records the film earned $1,311,000 in the US and Canada and $603,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $21,000.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ Quirk, Lawrence J.. The Films of Joan Crawford. The Citadel Press, 1968.
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