Thunder Bay (1953)

Shrimpers and oilmen clash when an ambitious wildcatter begins constructing an off-shore oilrig.

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Gil Doud (screenplay), John Michael Hayes (screenplay)

Stars:

James Stewart, Joanne Dru, Gilbert Roland

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

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.

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male | hairy chest | oil | shrimp | louisiana | 

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Taglines:

The Brawling, Mauling Story of the Biggest Bonanza of Them All !

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 September 1953 (UK)

Also Known As:

Die Todesbucht von Louisiana

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,400,000, 31 December 1953

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

3 Channel Stereo (Western Electric Recording) (5.0) (L-R)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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.

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Goofs

The townspeople secure a restraining order from the state to stop the blasting in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the blasting is further than 3 miles from shore, the state would not have jurisdiction- these are Federal waters.

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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

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Connections

Referenced in Cinemania (2002)

User Reviews

Boiling Oil.

Thunder Bay is directed by Anthony Mann and written by Gil Doud and George W. George. It stars James Stewart, Joanne Dru, Dan Duryea, Gilbert Roland and Jay C. Flippen. Music is by Frank Skinner and cinematography by William H. Daniels.

Offshore oil drillers set up base at Port Felicity, Louisiana and find the town's shrimpers are not at all happy about this threat to their livelihood. Conflict and affairs of the heart do follow.

One of the eight films that James Stewart and Anthony Mann made together, Thunder Bay was relevant in topicality upon its release, and remains so today. Whilst lacking the psychological smarts that the duo's Western productions had, it's a handsome production with the expected qualities in front of and behind the cameras. There's a lot of talky passages, which given the subject matter pulsing away at the core is understandable, but Mann ensures that action and suspense is never far away. It all builds to a crescendo, with loose ends and quibbles conveniently tied up in a Hollywood bow, but such is the skills of actors and director it rounds out as good and thorough entertainment. 7/10