The Captain Hates the Sea (1934)

Alcoholic newspaperman Steve Bramley boards the San Capador for a restful cruise, hoping to quit drinking and begin writing a book. Also on board are Steve's friend Schulte, a private ... See full summary »

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writers:

Arnold Belgard (continuity), Wallace Smith (novel)

Stars:

Victor McLaglen, Wynne Gibson, Alison Skipworth

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Victor McLaglen	...	Junius P. Schulte
Wynne Gibson	...	Mrs. Jeddock
Alison Skipworth	...	Mrs. Yolanda Magruder
John Gilbert	...	Steve Bramley
Helen Vinson	...	Janet Grayson
Fred Keating	...	Danny Checkett
Leon Errol	...	Layton
Walter Connolly	...	Capt. Helquist
Tala Birell	...	Gerta Klangi
Walter Catlett	...	Joe Silvers
John Wray	...	Mr. Jeddock
Claude Gillingwater	...	Judge Griswold
Emily Fitzroy	...	Mrs. Victoria Griswold
Donald Meek	...	Josephus Bushmills
Luis Alberni	...	Juan Gilboa

Storyline

Alcoholic newspaperman Steve Bramley boards the San Capador for a restful cruise, hoping to quit drinking and begin writing a book. Also on board are Steve's friend Schulte, a private detective hoping to nab criminal Danny Checkett with a fortune in stolen bonds. Steve begins drinking, all the while observing the various stories of other passengers on board, several of whom turn out not to be who they seem to be.

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Plot Keywords:

drinking | alcohol | the three stooges | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

Here's a comedy that will rock you from stem to stern and make you quiver amidships!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Farsa da Vida

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 85 min (Sony Pictures Television print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Lewis Milestone needed to persuade Columbia Pictures president Harry Cohn to hire actor John Gilbert for this picture. At the time it was generally believed that Gilbert's voice recorded higher in pitch than suited his masculine silent screen image, but Milestone believed that Gilbert's voice recorded higher in pitch because of the actor's anxiety at having to test for MGM as a means of defending his exorbitant salary there. Gilbert agreed to submit to a new voice-test for the role as a means of persuading Cohn that his casting in the picture was a viable investment. With his friend Milestone directing the test for the Columbia picture his voice recorded perfectly and John Gilbert was hired for the role.

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Goofs

The 'Hard to Starboard' command by the Captain isn't a goof at all, as his very next command is 'Both engines slow astern'. In other words he's reversing the vessel and in that case starboard is the correct direction.

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Connections

Edited into Commotion on the Ocean (1956)

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Soundtracks

Wedding March
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Wagner

User Reviews

John Gilbert's Parting Shots

This oddly-named film is so titled because the captain (Water Connolly) states this fact as his ship sets sail. The actual film, however has little to do with its captain. The upshot Columbia Pictures' "The Captain Hates the Sea" is done in the storytelling style of MGM's "Grand Hotel" but with more of the humor attempted in "Dinner at Eight" - you will be able to cast the "Dinner at Eight" stars quite easily into this film. The main story involves police detective Victor McLaglen (as Junius P. Schulte) following slight-of-hand Fred Keating (as Danny Checkett) on ship, seeking some swiped bonds (they're as good as money). Mr. Keating is, in turn, trails pretty Helen Vinson (as Janet Grayson), and both men become rivals for her affection...

That may be the main story, but the focus of attention clearly falls on fourth-billed John Gilbert (as Steve Bramley)...

Mr. Gilbert plays an alcoholic writer from Hollywood, taking the cruise to quit drinking and start writing his great American novel. Gilbert gets a good amount of screen time, and was, if you had to pick one of the "ensemble" cast, the main star of "The Captain Hates the Sea". Most importantly, this was Mr. Gilbert's last appearance, as he would die prematurely, in just over a year. Gilbert's death has been linked to his chronic alcoholism, and he appears drunk in this film. Since the role calls for him to be drunk, you could say he utilized "method" acting. But, really, on close inspection, this this was a sad role for a dying man. One of his co-stars also appears inebriated, and most of the top-billed men in the cast were notorious drinkers...

Gilbert had built a fairly solid career, over a decade, but his popularity exploded in 1925, due to appearances in "The Merry Widow" and "The Big Parade". In these two productions, Gilbert advanced himself not only as a romantic star, but also as a serious actor. The quality of Gilbert's performance had advanced so that no less than Lillian Gish chose him to co-star in her next production. And, later, Greta Garbo insisted he be cast in "Queen Christina" (1934), which turned out to be Gilbert's last excellent production. "Queen Christina" was also a big "box office" hit, out-grossing all of the older Garbo/Gilbert films. His earlier sound films weren't bad, either - but Gilbert was no longer a superstar, and he didn't know how to be anything but one.

***** The Captain Hates the Sea (10/22/34) Lewis Milestone ~ John Gilbert, Victor McLaglen, Fred Keating, Helen Vinson