IslandGuru Who payed the critics

2freensel I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Winifred The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

JohnHowardReid Thanks to its superior film craft, The Sea Wolf holds up well today. As the title character, Edward G. Robinson is in his swaggering, bullying element. Equally great performances from Barry Fitzgerald, John Garfield and Gene Lockhart alike rivet a contemporary audience's attention. Admittedly, as the nominal hero, Alexander Knox is a little too weak and spineless for modern tastes; whilst Ida Lupino seems too glamorous to retain credibility as an escaped convict. On the other hand, the anti-fascist screenplay has not dated much at all, although its fantasy elements are harder to accept in this non-romantic age. Director Curtiz handles both the picturesque elements of the tale and the dramatic with equal finesse, flair, punch and atmosphere. Some great action scenes punctuate the drama, like the early ferry capsize (though the use of miniatures here becomes obvious on a third or fourth viewing). $1 million was spent and it's all up there on the screen in marvelous photography and eye-catching sets. And Korngold has contributed an effective if uncharacteristic score.

ellenirishellen-62962 Interesting,gripping from start to finish.Didn't think too much of Knox In WILSON,but really liked him here.Robinson is terrific as Larson,as are the entire cast with Eddie,Knox,Lupino,Garfield in main roles,as with Lockhart in one of his few non slimy roles.Barry Fitzgerald is the guy I loved to hate as much as Larson,although Larson was on a par with Captain Ahab and Capt Bligh.Many familiar character actors in smaller roles.Garfield was great in his first starring role,Lupino the only woman,lucky to avoid having to fight off the entire crew,protection from Garfield and Knox.And the opening in the bar with Stanley Ridges character being Shanghai'd after refusing to sail on a devil ship,Garfield barely avoids getting a Mickey Finn.

marcslope Warners in the early 1940s excelled at a number of genres, but it rarely produced works as relentlessly downbeat as this very good adaptation of a Jack London novel. It's grim and pessimistic for virtually its entire running time, and rich in atmosphere--the Ghost, the troubled ship on which it's set, is palpably filthy, leaky, and wet, and its madman captain, the always excellent Edward G. Robinson, is a sadist, albeit capable of introspection and thoughtfulness. But what a miserable crew he commands, full of good character actors; even Barry Fitzgerald turns off his monotonous Irish twinkle for a change and paints a complex portrait. John Garfield, though given star billing, hasn't that much to do, and we spend more time with Alexander Knox, never again as interesting as he is here, as a well-to-do writer who lands unluckily on the Ghost. Ida Lupino, as a thief also unluckily aboard, broods exquisitely, and the camera never captured her better. The Korngold score, not his best, does have a maritime air about it, and Michael Curtiz paces it wonderfully--he knows when to slow down. As an exploration of man's venality, and in its willingness to provide a less-than-totally-happy ending, it goes deeper than many sea adventures from the same era, and it has atmosphere that stays with you for days.

Alex da Silva John Garfield (George Leach) volunteers to work on a ship called the "Ghost" in order to flee the police who are searching for him. Ida Lupino (Ruth) is also fleeing the authorities on a passenger ferry and has just been handed over to detectives by sophisticated, nancy-boy writer Alexander Knox (Van Weyden) when the ferry is rammed and sunk. Lupino and Knox survive as the ferry sinks and they are picked up by the ship that rammed them - the "Ghost" - captained by Edward G Robinson (Wolf Larsen). Robinson has no intention of putting them ashore and they join his crew on his pirate ship - the purpose of Robinson's journeys are to steal cargoes from other ships and skulk around in the foggy waters avoiding detection. Robinson is sadistic and Garfield has a plan to make a break for freedom.....The story is a familiar one of cruelty at sea and mutiny and Edward G Robinson puts in a performance that is the equal of Charles Laughton in "Mutiny On The Bounty" (1935) and Howard Da Silva in "Two Years Before The Mast" (1946) as the sea captain bully. This is his film and he commands it as he does his crew. Garfield and Knox have important roles - Garfield as the angry man who rebels and Knox who becomes Robinson's confidante and holds the key to the film's denouement - but Lupino, while good in her role, does not have much to do. I'm not really sure why she's in the film as the love interest just isn't necessary. Garfield and Lupino may look good as a couple but their romance also does not convince at times, especially when Garfield is soooooo cold towards her yet she comes back for more from him. I don't think so! The story has many different sequences to it and the pace rolls along nicely. The atmosphere of the film also deserves a mention with the aptly named "Ghost" disappearing in and out of fog banks. The first time we see the ship is memorable as it sinks the passenger ferry at the beginning. There are other memorable scenes including Gene Lockhart's (Dr Prescott) appearance one day dressed in his finest clothing after re-gaining his confidence - you will end up feeling very sorry for him - but, in the ensuing scenes, he does what he believes to be the best thing for a man who still has some dignity.A final mention must go to Edward G Robinson, who, on occasion, manages to convince the audience that he has a human side to his character. I found it slightly out of character that he would take Knox's psycho-babble to heart as he does but then again, the guy is a psycho so who knows. It's interesting that Robinson is a secret intellectual and given his background, he's actually done very well for himself if you ask me. Maybe I'll see him in hell one day.Overall, it's an entertaining film that's worth keeping onto.