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:

Thunder Bay

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,400,000

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

Shrimps, Oil and Love in Port Felicity

In 1946, the drifters Steve Martin (James Stewart) and his partner and friend Johnny Gambi (Dan Duryea) travel to Port Felicity in Lousianna completely broken to meet the investor Kermit MacDonald (Jay C. Flippen). Steve dreams on building an offshore drilling barge to explore oil in the Gulf of Mexico and MacDonald, who is an entrepreneur and also a dreamer, decides to finance them but gives a short schedule to find oil.

They initially hire the fishing vessel of skipper Dominique Rigaud (Antonio Moreno) since the fishermen are having difficulties to catch shrimps. Steve and Johnny try to befriend the locals but when they use dynamite to locate oil, the population turns against them. Meanwhile Johnny dates the younger daughter of Dominique, Francesca (Marcia Henderson), while her older sister Stella Rigaud (Joanne Dru) feels attraction for Steve, but she rejects him since she is a wounded woman with a past. Steve, Johnny and their crew need to face the hostility and sabotage from the locals and also a hurricane while searching for the valuable oil.

"Thunder Bay" is an entertaining romantic adventure that takes place in the period of the beginning of exploration of oil in the Gulf of Mexico and shows the friction between the local fishermen and the oilmen. The plot is corny, with a feel-good conclusion but James Stewart is always an attraction. Further, for those that work in the oil business, it is great to see the early period of offshore exploration of oil. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available