Perhaps an inspiration to PAPILLON, high adventure and camp extertainment to the max, some theaters at the time actually banning the film!
Clark Gable is two-fisted Verne, escaping Devil's Island with a bunch of little devils, among them Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Eduardo Ciannelli and J. Edward Bromberg. What a menacing horde, yet all desperate and vulnerable -- quite unexpectedly meeting Cambreau (exceptionally played by Ian Hunter), their guardian angel, who seems to know what's ahead in their treacherous trek to freedom.
Enter Joan Crawford at her sexy best (even at smoking cigarettes!) the biggest surprise of all, playing Julie, the young lady also with a past who has had her fill of men, except, perhaps Verne. In short, Gable and Crawford are dynamite, you can't get enough of these two together, their final film as a team and making it click as only MGM would have it.
Interesting casting of Peter Lorre, as Monsieur Pig, the bounty hunter, an about face for the actor who had just finished playing the gentlemanly sleuth, MR. MOTO for the last few years. Lorre is always mesmerizing, no matter what he does. Many other familiar faces here, including silent screen star Betty Compson in a small (unbilled) role as Suzanne.
Applause for co-star Ian Hunter as the genuine hero, perhaps his most memorable screen performance, and that's saying a lot with nearly 100 film credits, cast earlier in his career opposite Kay Francis. Outstanding writing on the part of Anita Loos, who began her career with D. W. Griffith, later known for GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. She adapted this for the screen from the book, "Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep" by screenwriter and director Richard Sale.
Directed by one of Hollywood's master of love stories, Frank Borzage, who began his career in silent films. His next hit would be THE MORTAL STORM, starring Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart. Previously directed Crawford in MANNEQUIN (1937). She would next play the preacher in SUSAN AND GOD. Gable followed this with BOOM TOWN.
Thanks to TCM for running this film great. Always on dvd and remastered blu ray.
Clark Gable is two-fisted Verne, escaping Devil's Island with a bunch of little devils, among them Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Eduardo Ciannelli and J. Edward Bromberg. What a menacing horde, yet all desperate and vulnerable -- quite unexpectedly meeting Cambreau (exceptionally played by Ian Hunter), their guardian angel, who seems to know what's ahead in their treacherous trek to freedom.
Enter Joan Crawford at her sexy best (even at smoking cigarettes!) the biggest surprise of all, playing Julie, the young lady also with a past who has had her fill of men, except, perhaps Verne. In short, Gable and Crawford are dynamite, you can't get enough of these two together, their final film as a team and making it click as only MGM would have it.
Interesting casting of Peter Lorre, as Monsieur Pig, the bounty hunter, an about face for the actor who had just finished playing the gentlemanly sleuth, MR. MOTO for the last few years. Lorre is always mesmerizing, no matter what he does. Many other familiar faces here, including silent screen star Betty Compson in a small (unbilled) role as Suzanne.
Applause for co-star Ian Hunter as the genuine hero, perhaps his most memorable screen performance, and that's saying a lot with nearly 100 film credits, cast earlier in his career opposite Kay Francis. Outstanding writing on the part of Anita Loos, who began her career with D. W. Griffith, later known for GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES. She adapted this for the screen from the book, "Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep" by screenwriter and director Richard Sale.
Directed by one of Hollywood's master of love stories, Frank Borzage, who began his career in silent films. His next hit would be THE MORTAL STORM, starring Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart. Previously directed Crawford in MANNEQUIN (1937). She would next play the preacher in SUSAN AND GOD. Gable followed this with BOOM TOWN.
Thanks to TCM for running this film great. Always on dvd and remastered blu ray.