Whom the Gods Destroy (1934)

A famous theatrical impresario acts heroically when the ship he is traveling on sinks. He saves many lives, but at the last minute saves his own by an act of cowardice. When he returns at ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Albert Payson Terhune (story), Sidney Buchman (screenplay),

Stars:

Walter Connolly, Robert Young, Doris Kenyon

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Walter Connolly	...	John Forrester aka Eric Jann aka Peter Korotoff
Robert Young	...	Jack Forrester
Doris Kenyon	...	Margaret Forrester
Macon Jones	...	Jack Forrester - Age 14
Scotty Beckett	...	Jack Forrester, Age 4 (as Scott Beckett)
Rollo Lloyd	...	Henry Braverman
Maidel Turner	...	Henrietta Crosland
Henry Kolker	...	Carlo - the Puppeteer
George Humbert	...	Niccoli
Hugh Huntley	...	Jamison - Ship's Officer
Hobart Bosworth	...	Alec Klein
Gilbert Emery	...	Professor Weaver
Akim Tamiroff	...	Peter Korotoff
Yale Puppeteers	...	Puppeteers (as The Yale Puppeteers)

Storyline

A famous theatrical impresario acts heroically when the ship he is traveling on sinks. He saves many lives, but at the last minute saves his own by an act of cowardice. When he returns at last to his home, he learns that he is believed to be heroically dead, and that revealing his return will also reveal his cowardice.

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Plot Keywords:

derelict | cowardice | failure | theatrical impresario | mentor | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 July 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

De, guderne vil ødelægge

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min 68 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Sea of Lost Ships (1953)

User Reviews

Known as "Shipwreck" in 1934

I saw "Shipwreck" in Radio City Music Hall in 1934 (when I was 7). I especially enjoyed seeing Robert Young for perhaps the first time. I don't recall the semi-happy ending noted in your Summary. Instead, I thought the Walter Connolly character died in his son's office after his wife recognized him. (Maybe I anticipated that ending later on in "Tomorrow Is Forever.") Did time play tricks on me? I erroneously believed that the female lead was Ann Harding, only to find in IMDb that it was lookalike Doris Kenyon. I especially recall the lifeboat scramble and the beatings Connolly received in Newfoundland when his fellow passengers and the locals discovered he had disguised himself as a woman by placing a ladies fur coat over his head.