Edward G. Robinson (Mike), Richard Arlen (Pipes Boley), Zita Johann (Quita Silva), Vince Barnett (Fishbone), William Ricciardi (Manuel Silva), J. Carroll Naish (Tony), Leila Bennett (Muggsey), Maurice Black (Fernandez), Sheila Bromley (Red), Edwin Maxwell (doctor), Toshia Mori (lady barber), Henry Otho, Harry Semels, Pedro Regas, Hector Sarno (crewmen), Inez Palange (Mike's neighbor).
Director: HOWARD HAWKS. Screenplay: Wells Root. Based on the story, "Tuna", by Houston Branch. Photography: Tony Gaudio. Film editor: Thomas Pratt. Art director: Jack Okey. Costumes designed by Orry- Kelly. Music: Bernhard Kaun. Music director: Leo F. Forbstein, conducting The Vitaphone Orchestra. Marine supervisor: Captain Guy Silva. Stills: Mac Julian. Assistant cameraman: Carl E. Guthrie. Assistant director: Richard Rosson. Sound recording: C.A. Riggs and A.D. Mair. Associate producer: Bryan Foy.
Copyright 3 September 1932 by First National Pictures, Inc. Released through Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Winter Garden: 22 September 1932. U.K. release: 4 March 1933. 8 reels. 77 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A triangle love story between the boastful skipper of a tuna boat, the daughter of a deceased crewman, and a sailor whom the skipper has rescued from the sea at the cost of his left hand.
COMMENT: Here's Edward G. Robinson hamming it up for all he's worth in this awful fishing yarn which is not only a waste of time, but unduly gruesome and cruel to boot.
I beg pardon. There is one redeeming feature. Her name is Zita Johann, the exotic heroine of one of my favorite cult films, The Mummy (1932). In fact, The Mummy was Miss Johann's very next movie, but what a contrast to her role in this time-wasting tosh.
True, she does what she can with this poorly-written cliché of a role, but she'so hemmed in by loud-talking Robinson, nondescript Arlen and unfunny funnyman Barnett, she's given little chance to make any but the most superficial impression.
Hawks's disinterested direction doesn't help. At times, he even forgets the story entirely and turns the movie into a boring (and often hideous) documentary about tuna fishing. As for Robinson, this is undoubtedly his worst performance ever. His constant attempts at a funny accent are never less than appalling.
I repeat: If it were not for Zita Johann, this movie would be qualified for instant dismissal in the nearest trash bin.
Director: HOWARD HAWKS. Screenplay: Wells Root. Based on the story, "Tuna", by Houston Branch. Photography: Tony Gaudio. Film editor: Thomas Pratt. Art director: Jack Okey. Costumes designed by Orry- Kelly. Music: Bernhard Kaun. Music director: Leo F. Forbstein, conducting The Vitaphone Orchestra. Marine supervisor: Captain Guy Silva. Stills: Mac Julian. Assistant cameraman: Carl E. Guthrie. Assistant director: Richard Rosson. Sound recording: C.A. Riggs and A.D. Mair. Associate producer: Bryan Foy.
Copyright 3 September 1932 by First National Pictures, Inc. Released through Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Winter Garden: 22 September 1932. U.K. release: 4 March 1933. 8 reels. 77 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A triangle love story between the boastful skipper of a tuna boat, the daughter of a deceased crewman, and a sailor whom the skipper has rescued from the sea at the cost of his left hand.
COMMENT: Here's Edward G. Robinson hamming it up for all he's worth in this awful fishing yarn which is not only a waste of time, but unduly gruesome and cruel to boot.
I beg pardon. There is one redeeming feature. Her name is Zita Johann, the exotic heroine of one of my favorite cult films, The Mummy (1932). In fact, The Mummy was Miss Johann's very next movie, but what a contrast to her role in this time-wasting tosh.
True, she does what she can with this poorly-written cliché of a role, but she'so hemmed in by loud-talking Robinson, nondescript Arlen and unfunny funnyman Barnett, she's given little chance to make any but the most superficial impression.
Hawks's disinterested direction doesn't help. At times, he even forgets the story entirely and turns the movie into a boring (and often hideous) documentary about tuna fishing. As for Robinson, this is undoubtedly his worst performance ever. His constant attempts at a funny accent are never less than appalling.
I repeat: If it were not for Zita Johann, this movie would be qualified for instant dismissal in the nearest trash bin.