Strange Cargo (1940 film)

Infobox Film
name = Strange Cargo


image_size =
caption = Original theatrical poster
director = Frank Borzage
producer = Joseph L. Mankiewicz
writer = Novel:
Richard Sale
Screenplay:
Lawrence Hazard
narrator =
starring = Joan Crawford
Clark Gable
music = Franz Waxman
cinematography = Robert Planck
editing = Robert J. Kern
distributor = Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
released = flagicon|USA 1 March 1940
runtime = 113 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0033105

"Strange Cargo" (1940) is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film 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 directed by Frank Borzage and produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The film is the eighth and last cinematic collaboration between Crawford and Gable.

Plot and cast

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 and returned to prison. Julie is fired for consorting with a prisoner. At the prison, Moll (Albert Dekker) has masterminded a jailbreak and takes with him the gentle Cambreau (Ian Hunter), Telez (Eduardo Ciannelli), Hessler (Paul Lukas), Flaubert (J. Edward Bromberg), Dufond (John Arledge), and Mi'sieu Pig (Peter Lorre). Verne joins the escapees, taking Julie with him. The Christ-like Cambreau exerts a spiritual influence over the others. As they trek through the jungle, most die with only Verne, Julie, and Cambreau surviving the ordeal. Verne scoffs at Cambreau's spirituality, but saves him from drowning, and decides to return to the prison to finish his sentence. Julie has grown to love Verne and promises to wait for him. Cast includes Frederick Worlock as Grideau, Bernard Nedell as Marfeu, and Victor Varconi as 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 charaterization 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." [Quirk, Lawrence J.. "The Films of Joan Crawford". The Citadel Press, 1968.]

ee also

* Joan Crawford filmography
* Clark Gable filmography

References