The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea
The Captain Hates the Sea
Directed by	Lewis Milestone
Screenplay by	Wallace Smith; Arnold Belgard
Based on	The Captain Hates the Sea; 1933 novel; by Wallace Smith
Produced by	Lewis Milestone
Starring	Victor McLaglen; Wynne Gibson; Alison Skipworth; John Gilbert; Helen Vinson
Cinematography	Joseph H. August
Edited by	Gene Milford
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	November 2, 1934;
Running time	92 minutes; 85 minutes; (Sony Pictures Television Print)
Country	United States
Language	English

The Captain Hates the Sea is a 1934 comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone and released by Columbia Pictures.^[2]^[3] The film, which involves a Grand Hotel-style series of intertwining stories involving the passengers on a cruise ship, was the last feature film of silent film icon John Gilbert and the first Columbia feature to include The Three Stooges (Curly Howard, Moe Howard and Larry Fine) in the cast as the ship's orchestra. The film also stars Victor McLaglen, Arthur Treacher, Akim Tamiroff, Leon Errol and Walter Connolly.^[4]^[5]

Plot

Alcoholic newspaperman Steve Bramley boards the ship 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.

Cast

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 - Captain 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
Akim Tamiroff – General Salazaro
Arthur Treacher – Major Warringforth
Inez Courtney – Flo
G. Pat Collins – Donlin
The Three Stooges – Orchestra Musicians

Production

During production, the film went over budget due in large part to the alcohol-fueled partying by Gilbert, McLaglen, Errol, Catlett and Connolly. Harry Cohn, the head of Columbia, became alarmed and sent a cable to Lewis Milestone that read: "Hurry up! The cost is staggering!" Milestone, in turn, sent a cable to Cohn that read: "So is the cast!"^[6]^[7]

The exterior footage of the San Capeador (filmed at San Pedro Harbor) would be recycled in the Three Stooges' short Dunked in the Deep.^[8]

A DVD of The Captain Hates the Sea was released on August 2, 2011, by Sony.^[5]

References

^ threestooges.net
^ Variety film review; December 4, 1934, page 12.
^ Harrison's Reports film review; December 1, 1934, page 191.
^ New York Times review
^ ^a ^b Film Threat review
^ Medved, Harry & Michael. "The Hollywood Hall of Shame," Perigree Books, 1984. ISBN 0-399-50714-0
^ Thomas, Bob, "King Cohn: The Life and Times of Harry Cohn," G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1967.
^ Solomon, Jon (2000). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Glendale, California: Comedy III Productions, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0971186804.

External links

The Captain Hates the Sea at IMDb
The Captain Hates the Sea at the TCM Movie Database
The Captain Hates the Sea at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

This 1930s comedy film–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] threestooges.net

[2] Variety film review; December 4, 1934, page 12.

[3] Harrison's Reports film review; December 1, 1934, page 191.

[4] New York Times review

[FT-5] Film Threat review

[6] Medved, Harry & Michael. "The Hollywood Hall of Shame," Perigree Books, 1984. ISBN 0-399-50714-0

[7] Thomas, Bob, "King Cohn: The Life and Times of Harry Cohn," G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1967.

[8] Solomon, Jon (2000). The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion. Glendale, California: Comedy III Productions, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0971186804.

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