Talk about atmospheric thriller, Val Lewton with a fairly unknown cast and a leading man whose box office days are behind him came up with a gem of a thriller at sea. The Ghost Ship stars Richard Dix as the captain of the freighter Altair and Russell Wade as his eager new third officer who sees some distinct flaws in the man whom he admired and was eager to serve under.
On his first voyage some deaths among the crew start Wade thinking, but his doubts are resolved when Nick Stuart a happy go lucky Greek is killed when he's locked in an anchor chain room. It could only be deliberate and it could only be Dix.
The Ghost Ship is a combination of Eugene O'Neill and Edgar Allan Poe in its conception. The camaraderie and dialog among the crew is like something out of The Long Voyage Home. The sea is a great equalizer in the crew. The captain may be Lord and Master, but in the crew all are equal. Note the part played by black actor Sir Lancelot which is a rarity of Hollywood at the time. He's from Trinidad and he's an equal in this company. Very rare for 1943.
But Dix has let the whole Lord and Master thing goes to his head. Quite clear in his scenes with Wade as Wade starts to suspect. The rest of the crew, dare not even if they think it in the deepest parts of their souls. Mutiny is a hanging offense..
Wonderful atmosphere, great performances as Val Lewton gets the most out of the limited budgets he had.
On his first voyage some deaths among the crew start Wade thinking, but his doubts are resolved when Nick Stuart a happy go lucky Greek is killed when he's locked in an anchor chain room. It could only be deliberate and it could only be Dix.
The Ghost Ship is a combination of Eugene O'Neill and Edgar Allan Poe in its conception. The camaraderie and dialog among the crew is like something out of The Long Voyage Home. The sea is a great equalizer in the crew. The captain may be Lord and Master, but in the crew all are equal. Note the part played by black actor Sir Lancelot which is a rarity of Hollywood at the time. He's from Trinidad and he's an equal in this company. Very rare for 1943.
But Dix has let the whole Lord and Master thing goes to his head. Quite clear in his scenes with Wade as Wade starts to suspect. The rest of the crew, dare not even if they think it in the deepest parts of their souls. Mutiny is a hanging offense..
Wonderful atmosphere, great performances as Val Lewton gets the most out of the limited budgets he had.