Shrimpers and oilmen clash when an ambitious wildcatter begins constructing an off-shore oilrig.
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Title: Thunder Bay (1953)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| James Stewart | ... | Steve | |
| Joanne Dru | ... | Stella Rigaud | |
| Gilbert Roland | ... | Teche Bossier | |
| Dan Duryea | ... | Gambi | |
| Jay C. Flippen | ... | Kermit MacDonald | |
| Marcia Henderson | ... | Francesca Rigaud | |
 |
Robert Monet | ... | Phillipe Bayard |
| Antonio Moreno | ... | Dominique Rigaud | |
| Harry Morgan | ... | Rawlings (as Henry Morgan) | |
| Fortunio Bonanova | ... | Sheriff Antoine Chighizola | |
| Mario Siletti | ... | Louis Chighizola | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In 1946, ex-Navy engineer Steve Martin comes to a Louisiana town with a dream: to build a safe platform for offshore oil drilling. Having finessed financing from a big oil company, formerly penniless Steve and his partner Johnny are in business...and getting interested in shrimp-boat captain Rigaud's two lovely daughters. But opposition from the fishing community grows fast, led by Stella Rigaud. Other hazards include sabotage, a hurricane...and a treacherous board of directors. Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
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The Brawling, Mauling Story of the Biggest Bonanza of Them All !Parents Guide:
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Steve Martin: I can imitate a movie star.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Although filmed in the standard 1.37-1 aspect ratio, this film was chosen by Universal-International as its first widescreen feature, accomplishing this by cropping the top and bottom and projecting it at 1.85-1 at Loew's State Theatre in New York City, as well as other sites. Its initial presentation also marked U-I's first use of directional stereophonic sound. See more »Goofs
In Steve's cabin on the oil rig, which would realistically only have a port hole as a window, there's such strong shadows of Steve and Kermit (Jay C Flippen) which would only be there if there was a large window. See more »Quotes
Johnny Gambi: Can you, uh, juggle or anything like that? We might pick up a few bucks.Steve Martin: I can imitate a movie star.
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Crazy Credits
Opening credits prologue: LOUISIANA 1946 See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
30 September 1953 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Thunder Bay See more »Edit
Box Office
Gross USA:
$2,400,000Company Credits
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The first of two fifties adventure films with heroes called Steve Martin (the second was 'Godzilla' with Raymond Burr)! Shot on location in Morgan City, Louisiana in rich Technicolor (all the better to show off local girl Joanne Dru's vibrant and extremely durable lipstick), this was Jimmy Stewart's first non-western with Anthony Mann; and although easily the least known of their eight films together remains fun.
To 21st Century environmental sensibilities, oil prospectors no longer seem the heroic buccaneering figures they were once portrayed as. The film does acknowledge the disruptive impact Stewart and Duryea have on this sleepy little backwater; as much due simply to being men as oilmen...