This is a movie that certainly has curiosity value. Although the credits don't acknowledge the fact, it's actually a Poverty Row remake of "Moran of the Lady Letty" (1922), omitting most of Rudolph Valentino's long introductory sequences and all the concluding episodes. After a brief introductory escaping-from-prison sequence (using painfully obvious stock footage) plus a watered-down reprise of the Valentino scene in the bar-room, the movie settles down to reprise a great deal of the "Lady Letty" material, but using extremely cramped studio sets and omitting the fire sequences of course.
Although he had an excellent voice, silent star Edmund Burns is still no match for a mute Valentino. In fact, Burns displayed such little charisma in his early sound features that he was soon playing uncredited bit roles. In this Poverty Row "Sea Devils" (1930), his last star part, he is partnered by Molly O'Day who, despite her diminutive size and somewhat chunky thighs, carries the film on her own personality-plus shoulders. True, she receives a bit of assistance from director Joseph Levering who makes the most of his very sparse budget, and perennial villain Walter Long who hams it up agreeably as a (you guessed it!) mutinous mate. Way-down-the-cast's Jim Donnelly has a major role as the ship's captain but doesn't convince us he could handle the Staten Island ferry, let alone a barque on the high seas. A talented chimp steals scenes right, left and center from all but Miss O'Day who is more than a match for any simian interlopers.
Although it runs only 58 minutes, the movie still seems somewhat overloaded with extraneous scenes. Not that I'm complaining as one of these interludes features none other than popular silent comedian, Fatty Karr, who heavies it up most delightfully here as a bellicose barkeeper. This movie is now available on an excellent Alpha DVD.
Although he had an excellent voice, silent star Edmund Burns is still no match for a mute Valentino. In fact, Burns displayed such little charisma in his early sound features that he was soon playing uncredited bit roles. In this Poverty Row "Sea Devils" (1930), his last star part, he is partnered by Molly O'Day who, despite her diminutive size and somewhat chunky thighs, carries the film on her own personality-plus shoulders. True, she receives a bit of assistance from director Joseph Levering who makes the most of his very sparse budget, and perennial villain Walter Long who hams it up agreeably as a (you guessed it!) mutinous mate. Way-down-the-cast's Jim Donnelly has a major role as the ship's captain but doesn't convince us he could handle the Staten Island ferry, let alone a barque on the high seas. A talented chimp steals scenes right, left and center from all but Miss O'Day who is more than a match for any simian interlopers.
Although it runs only 58 minutes, the movie still seems somewhat overloaded with extraneous scenes. Not that I'm complaining as one of these interludes features none other than popular silent comedian, Fatty Karr, who heavies it up most delightfully here as a bellicose barkeeper. This movie is now available on an excellent Alpha DVD.
