Rollicking fun with the MGM sheen at its height. Jean and Gable were always a great match and they continue here as a doxy and a ship's captain. The script is serviceable enough to not stretch belief too far, what is more fantastic is that Jean would be traveling on a China tug in white satin no matter how striking it is, same goes for Clark in his white captain uniform but that's Metro for you. This is the last of Jean's true brassy platinum blonde roles. For the short time she had left in her regrettably too brief career she softened her look and her roles were heading to the more ladylike end of the spectrum, for instance Wife vs. Secretary. Rosalind Russell is just starting out here too stuck in one of what she referred to as her Lady Mary roles, full of good diction and the graaaand manner her great flair for comedy wouldn't be tapped for several years, she's fine but knowing what she's capable of she feels constrained. The rest of the cast is terrific with Wally Beery and Robert Benchley standing out in full bodied characterizations. Keep in mind that this was made in the 30's so racism and sexism are on full display in a very casual way.
43 Reviews
A film that will convert people to classic movies
AlsExGal24 November 2017
It is funny, sexy, exciting, and every bit as resonant today as 1935- really saying something for a post-Code picture.
It's MGM of the period all the way. Bang bang bang, nonstop action, mile-a-minute dialogue. Basically a shameless retread of Red Dust, I actually like it a lot better than Red Dust. It's also got a dash of Shanghai Express, which is fine. Maybe it's the fact that I'm drawn to "souls at sea"" pictures and ensemble films about disparate groups thrown together by fate, their bizarre stories intertwining.
And what an ensemble this film boasts: There's Harlow, who by now could act, working her sex-clown routine with total confidence- fierceness to the Nth degree. Acing scene after scene, playing off Gable and Wallace Beery and Hattie MacDaniel (who has a rare good role, although not as substantial as it could be) just wonderfully. She should have gotten a Best Actress nomination for this.
Then there's Gable as Gable. Roz Russell is stuck playing one of the dour, humorless Brits MGM frequently cast her as in the thirties (see also Night Must Fall and The Citadel ). Donald Meek and Lewis Stone and Robert Benchley and plenty of others, all making the most out of their bits.
The stories are tight, every character compelling, and great dialogue all wonderfully pieced together. I don't often agree with Leonard Maltin or find his assessments of films too astute, but he is completely correct when he calls China Seas "impossible to dislike."
China Seas, a minor title in the classic film library, is the film to show to win people over to the "Black and White" side and show them how exciting and entertaining a classic movie can be.
It's MGM of the period all the way. Bang bang bang, nonstop action, mile-a-minute dialogue. Basically a shameless retread of Red Dust, I actually like it a lot better than Red Dust. It's also got a dash of Shanghai Express, which is fine. Maybe it's the fact that I'm drawn to "souls at sea"" pictures and ensemble films about disparate groups thrown together by fate, their bizarre stories intertwining.
And what an ensemble this film boasts: There's Harlow, who by now could act, working her sex-clown routine with total confidence- fierceness to the Nth degree. Acing scene after scene, playing off Gable and Wallace Beery and Hattie MacDaniel (who has a rare good role, although not as substantial as it could be) just wonderfully. She should have gotten a Best Actress nomination for this.
Then there's Gable as Gable. Roz Russell is stuck playing one of the dour, humorless Brits MGM frequently cast her as in the thirties (see also Night Must Fall and The Citadel ). Donald Meek and Lewis Stone and Robert Benchley and plenty of others, all making the most out of their bits.
The stories are tight, every character compelling, and great dialogue all wonderfully pieced together. I don't often agree with Leonard Maltin or find his assessments of films too astute, but he is completely correct when he calls China Seas "impossible to dislike."
China Seas, a minor title in the classic film library, is the film to show to win people over to the "Black and White" side and show them how exciting and entertaining a classic movie can be.
Red Dust meets Grand Hotel
robertguttman14 November 2012
China Seas is a sort of follow-up to Red Dust, with the addition of the sort of all-star cast pioneered in Grand Hotel, only set on board a passenger ship instead of in a hotel. As in Red Dust, the central plot element involves a triangle featuring Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. However, this time the hypotenuse is occupied by Rosalind Russel rather than Mary Astor.
By the time China Seas was produced the infamous Hayes Office was already busily enforcing standards of decency in the film industry. Consequently, the action is a good deal less steamy than in Red Dust. Nevertheless, the Gable-Harlow chemistry is still very much in evidence, even if their byplay has been somewhat toned-down.
Another major element of the plot involves piracy against modern (1930s) shipping in the Far East. Some viewers might find that notion a bit far-fetched. However, it is far less absurd than one might think. In fact, it is still going on today (2012)!
By the time China Seas was produced the infamous Hayes Office was already busily enforcing standards of decency in the film industry. Consequently, the action is a good deal less steamy than in Red Dust. Nevertheless, the Gable-Harlow chemistry is still very much in evidence, even if their byplay has been somewhat toned-down.
Another major element of the plot involves piracy against modern (1930s) shipping in the Far East. Some viewers might find that notion a bit far-fetched. However, it is far less absurd than one might think. In fact, it is still going on today (2012)!
Steaming Up The High Seas
bkoganbing12 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
In China Seas, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow essentially take their characters from Red Dust off the rubber plantation and transplant them to the high seas. What's wild about this film is that both Gable and Harlow are supposed to be English, but do not even attempt to adopt an accent. In Gable's case he figured the public accepted him in Mutiny on the Bounty so why not. In any case the part called for a rough and tough adventurer and that certainly did fit Gable.
Harlow's a girl who's been around the block a few times and she's crazy about Gable. But Gable takes her for granted and he's now pursuing a cultured widow of a friend in Rosalind Russell. That doesn't sit too well with Harlow so she goes after China trader Wallace Beery who's always had a yen for her.
The problem is that Beery is hooked up with Malay pirates, a nasty bunch if there ever was. They're looking to steal some gold bullion that Gable's transporting on this voyage. What happens is the rest of the story.
This was one of Rosalind Russell's earliest roles and once again there's little trace of the fine comedic actress she became. She worked with Gable again in They Met in Bombay and the results there were excellent. Here she's being a mannered version of Myrna Loy. MGM did that a lot, had back up players in case stars became hard to handle. In this case that's what they envisioned Russell as at this time. She does well in a part, gets more out of the role than I'm sure was originally intended.
Actually my favorite in China Seas is Lewis Stone. He's a former captain himself who was beached for cowardice. Gable signs him on as a third officer and Stone makes himself a human bomb and martyrs himself to save the ship. It's a touching and tragic performance.
Russell in her memoirs says that at this time she was not terribly friendly with the MGM star roster while she was an up and coming player in the ranks. One exception she did mention was Jean Harlow who she describes as warm, friendly, and helpful. Not that the two would have been up for the same kind of parts, but I got the feeling Russell felt Harlow was a genuinely nice person.
The stars and the supporting cast fill out the roles they are normally type cast in. China Seas is still rugged action adventure entertainment.
Harlow's a girl who's been around the block a few times and she's crazy about Gable. But Gable takes her for granted and he's now pursuing a cultured widow of a friend in Rosalind Russell. That doesn't sit too well with Harlow so she goes after China trader Wallace Beery who's always had a yen for her.
The problem is that Beery is hooked up with Malay pirates, a nasty bunch if there ever was. They're looking to steal some gold bullion that Gable's transporting on this voyage. What happens is the rest of the story.
This was one of Rosalind Russell's earliest roles and once again there's little trace of the fine comedic actress she became. She worked with Gable again in They Met in Bombay and the results there were excellent. Here she's being a mannered version of Myrna Loy. MGM did that a lot, had back up players in case stars became hard to handle. In this case that's what they envisioned Russell as at this time. She does well in a part, gets more out of the role than I'm sure was originally intended.
Actually my favorite in China Seas is Lewis Stone. He's a former captain himself who was beached for cowardice. Gable signs him on as a third officer and Stone makes himself a human bomb and martyrs himself to save the ship. It's a touching and tragic performance.
Russell in her memoirs says that at this time she was not terribly friendly with the MGM star roster while she was an up and coming player in the ranks. One exception she did mention was Jean Harlow who she describes as warm, friendly, and helpful. Not that the two would have been up for the same kind of parts, but I got the feeling Russell felt Harlow was a genuinely nice person.
The stars and the supporting cast fill out the roles they are normally type cast in. China Seas is still rugged action adventure entertainment.
On the high seas; big ships come...big ships go.
michaelRokeefe23 February 2002
Not just a routine trip from Hong Kong to Singapore for Captain Alan Gaskell(Clark Gable). There is a treasure trove of gold hidden on board. Among the passengers are two women of the captain's past: Dolly(Jean Harlow), the brash blonde bombshell and Lady Sybil(Rosalind Russell), the prim and proper socialite from England. Wallace Beery is a 'blow hard' gambler that is not to be trusted. Also in the cast are Lewis Stone and Hattie McDaniel.
Raiding pirates, one hell of a typhoon plus love on the high seas...a very good adventure film with tense action. Gable and Harlow are dynamic together. Tight direction from Tay Garnett. Special effects are superb.
Raiding pirates, one hell of a typhoon plus love on the high seas...a very good adventure film with tense action. Gable and Harlow are dynamic together. Tight direction from Tay Garnett. Special effects are superb.
Great cast meet danger in the high seas!
funkyfry8 October 2002
High seas adventure with Gable as a run-down captain and Harlow as his lover. Complications involve Rosalid Russell, as a high society widow Gable was in love with before. Harlow takes up with Beery to make him jealous, but ends up being forced to join him in his plot to help pirates rob the ship. Harlow and Gable remain a knockout A-class pairing, and the character roles are well-handled. Juicy dialogue and gory action are also plusses.
Romance and Adventure On The China Seas
Noirdame7930 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
This was the first film I saw that paired Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. I expected a lot from it and I was not disappointed. They were one of the finest screen teams of the 30s.
In a way, the plot is like RED DUST on the high seas. Gable is again in charge of a location and the leader of men, including a crew of Asians. Harlow is again the woman of easy virtue with a heart of gold. Rosalind Russell, in an entertaining turn as Sybil, Gable's long ago love, is a comedic and decidedly more classy dame who captures Captain Gaskill's attention, and who incites China Doll's jealousy. Wallace Beery, who worked with both Harlow and Gable in "THE SECRET SIX" and with Harlow in the 1933 classic "DINNER AT EIGHT" is enjoyably slick and subtly shady as Jamesy. But it is the chemistry between Harlow and Gable that really holds this movie together. They obviously had great respect and liking for one another, and this only cemented their working relationship on-screen. My favorite lines, one spoken by China Doll: "When I want you to sound off, Golden Bells, I'll pull your rope!" The other by Gaskill, with that unmistakable Gable grin: "And as a man said when they were about to hang him, 'This will be a lesson to me.' " It's a gem, and don't pass it up.
In a way, the plot is like RED DUST on the high seas. Gable is again in charge of a location and the leader of men, including a crew of Asians. Harlow is again the woman of easy virtue with a heart of gold. Rosalind Russell, in an entertaining turn as Sybil, Gable's long ago love, is a comedic and decidedly more classy dame who captures Captain Gaskill's attention, and who incites China Doll's jealousy. Wallace Beery, who worked with both Harlow and Gable in "THE SECRET SIX" and with Harlow in the 1933 classic "DINNER AT EIGHT" is enjoyably slick and subtly shady as Jamesy. But it is the chemistry between Harlow and Gable that really holds this movie together. They obviously had great respect and liking for one another, and this only cemented their working relationship on-screen. My favorite lines, one spoken by China Doll: "When I want you to sound off, Golden Bells, I'll pull your rope!" The other by Gaskill, with that unmistakable Gable grin: "And as a man said when they were about to hang him, 'This will be a lesson to me.' " It's a gem, and don't pass it up.
Typhoon and pirates in the high seas
jotix10030 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Capt. Gaskell shows up a bit drunk in Hong Kong's harbor for his trip to Singapore. He will be taking a cargo that includes heavy equipment and gold. An assortment of passengers are on board for the voyage, among them, China Doll, the former girlfriend of the captain, and and old flame, Sybil traveling to England.
China Doll, still in love with Gaskell, cannot hide her disappointment when the captain clearly shows a preference for the more refined Sybil. Jamesy MacArdle has no problems getting closer to China Doll; after all, he has his own personal agenda and she will be perfect for what he is trying to accomplish.
What the passengers, and crew, do not count on, is the typhoon they encounter as they get midway into the voyage. The rough seas almost wreck the ship. Some lower deck passengers, poor Chinese mainly, are killed when the heavy machinery break loose from the chains that are holding them tied firmly.
Jamesy MacArdle whose plan is to steal the gold, has been working with Malay pirates that board the ship and want to get the treasure. Jamesy persuades China Doll to steal a key from Gaskell, giving the pirates access to the firearms they carry in the ship for protection. The disgraced Davids, having been blamed for the poor handling of the typhoon rises to the occasion, saving the ship by repelling the invaders.
"China Seas", directed by Tay Garnett was an ambitious MGM production that offered a great spectacle that involved adventure and romance. With the studio resources the film must have been impressive, even in those days without the computerized special effects. Mr. Garnett showed he had an eye for the genre as he balances the action into a film that is enjoyable because all the elements worked they way he intended.
The dashing Clark Gable makes an excellent Capt. Gaskell. He showed why his screen chemistry with his co-star, Jean Harlow. They went to play opposite each other a few more times until her untimely death. Wallace Beery shows up as MacArdle, the schemer looking to steal the fortune stored in the ship. Rosalind Russell plays the sophisticated Sybil, and Lewis Stone appears as Davids. The beauty of the films from this era was the magnificent supporting casts that were put together, as is the case with this film.
The DVD we watched recently seems to have been lovingly restored.
China Doll, still in love with Gaskell, cannot hide her disappointment when the captain clearly shows a preference for the more refined Sybil. Jamesy MacArdle has no problems getting closer to China Doll; after all, he has his own personal agenda and she will be perfect for what he is trying to accomplish.
What the passengers, and crew, do not count on, is the typhoon they encounter as they get midway into the voyage. The rough seas almost wreck the ship. Some lower deck passengers, poor Chinese mainly, are killed when the heavy machinery break loose from the chains that are holding them tied firmly.
Jamesy MacArdle whose plan is to steal the gold, has been working with Malay pirates that board the ship and want to get the treasure. Jamesy persuades China Doll to steal a key from Gaskell, giving the pirates access to the firearms they carry in the ship for protection. The disgraced Davids, having been blamed for the poor handling of the typhoon rises to the occasion, saving the ship by repelling the invaders.
"China Seas", directed by Tay Garnett was an ambitious MGM production that offered a great spectacle that involved adventure and romance. With the studio resources the film must have been impressive, even in those days without the computerized special effects. Mr. Garnett showed he had an eye for the genre as he balances the action into a film that is enjoyable because all the elements worked they way he intended.
The dashing Clark Gable makes an excellent Capt. Gaskell. He showed why his screen chemistry with his co-star, Jean Harlow. They went to play opposite each other a few more times until her untimely death. Wallace Beery shows up as MacArdle, the schemer looking to steal the fortune stored in the ship. Rosalind Russell plays the sophisticated Sybil, and Lewis Stone appears as Davids. The beauty of the films from this era was the magnificent supporting casts that were put together, as is the case with this film.
The DVD we watched recently seems to have been lovingly restored.
A great story and a great cast
stills-624 August 2001
A great story and a great cast. If you set aside all the early Hollywood traps about racism and sexism, this is a terrific and watchable romance/adventure.
The story is very similar to Gable's later film, "Mogambo." He's the adventurous cad who loves two women - a beautiful ice-queen who represents his link to civilization (Russell); and the cute but stubborn and uncouth "woman of the world" who has the capacity to betray him when it suits her (Harlow). This movie is very well acted. I've always said that if you give Gable an affectation to fall back on, he does extremely well. Here, he's a barking sea captain, which, almost by accident, gives his performance a better range than it otherwise would have. I don't really like Harlow, but she's good in her role.
The editing is a bit strange - many closeups are too obviously added in later, but I guess I can partially forgive this because of the time it was made. It really shows how Harlow was on a roll when she was with the rest of the cast, though. Because these individual shots do not fit in with the movie at all.
There's some amazing effects during the typhoon sequence, with a steam engine running loose on the deck - and you actually see people get run over and flattened. It's disconcerting even though you realize the camera tricks involved. Very inventive for its day.
The story is very similar to Gable's later film, "Mogambo." He's the adventurous cad who loves two women - a beautiful ice-queen who represents his link to civilization (Russell); and the cute but stubborn and uncouth "woman of the world" who has the capacity to betray him when it suits her (Harlow). This movie is very well acted. I've always said that if you give Gable an affectation to fall back on, he does extremely well. Here, he's a barking sea captain, which, almost by accident, gives his performance a better range than it otherwise would have. I don't really like Harlow, but she's good in her role.
The editing is a bit strange - many closeups are too obviously added in later, but I guess I can partially forgive this because of the time it was made. It really shows how Harlow was on a roll when she was with the rest of the cast, though. Because these individual shots do not fit in with the movie at all.
There's some amazing effects during the typhoon sequence, with a steam engine running loose on the deck - and you actually see people get run over and flattened. It's disconcerting even though you realize the camera tricks involved. Very inventive for its day.
Red Dust and Mogambo waterlogged
blanche-221 March 2009
A good cast and lots of action highlight "China Seas," a 1935 film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery and Rosalind Russell. Gable plays Alan Gaskell who is captain of a ship sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. He's in love with the refined Sybil Thorndike (Russell) and attempting to reform his some of his bad habits. He has a constant reminder of his former life, however, and that's his old girlfriend Dolly (Harlow) who wants him back. When the ship is hijacked by pirates looking for gold, Gaskell wonders how much Dolly and her drinking buddy, MacArdle, were involved.
Gable and Harlow worked extremely well together and give good performances here, and there's a lot happening - a typhoon and the pirate attack - which make for good adventure.
Derivative but very enjoyable.
Gable and Harlow worked extremely well together and give good performances here, and there's a lot happening - a typhoon and the pirate attack - which make for good adventure.
Derivative but very enjoyable.
Harlow, Gable, and Beery at their best
PeterPangloss20 December 2005
"When I want you to sound off, Golden Bell, I'll pull your rope"--Harlow to Yu-Lan in "China Seas." There's not another actor, alive or dead, who could make that line work, but Harlow finds both the obvious comedy and the hidden pathos in it. (The pathos stems from her realization that she's out of her league, and her fear that the others at the table are looking down their noses at her.)
She, Gable, and Wallace Beery, are perfectly cast here. Harlow is the sassy, brassy, slightly shady blonde who's impulsive and emotional, but who really wants to do the right thing. Gable is of course steady and solid, all man, in charge, unflappable, ironic, and irresistible. Beery is by turns roguish, charming, tough, and menacing.
Roz Russell does a fine job as an old flame of Clark's who shows up for the voyage. Her British accent holds up pretty well. Lewis Stone plays the cowardly 3rd Officer who is out to repair his reputation, a far cry from his future as Judge Hardy. And Robert Benchley does his familiar drunkard routine.
Besides being well-cast, the film is exciting, with tropical storms, piracy at sea, and complicated romances. The special effects are excellent for the era, and the pacing is lively. Really a fine film.
She, Gable, and Wallace Beery, are perfectly cast here. Harlow is the sassy, brassy, slightly shady blonde who's impulsive and emotional, but who really wants to do the right thing. Gable is of course steady and solid, all man, in charge, unflappable, ironic, and irresistible. Beery is by turns roguish, charming, tough, and menacing.
Roz Russell does a fine job as an old flame of Clark's who shows up for the voyage. Her British accent holds up pretty well. Lewis Stone plays the cowardly 3rd Officer who is out to repair his reputation, a far cry from his future as Judge Hardy. And Robert Benchley does his familiar drunkard routine.
Besides being well-cast, the film is exciting, with tropical storms, piracy at sea, and complicated romances. The special effects are excellent for the era, and the pacing is lively. Really a fine film.
Thrills and romance on the China Sea.
rmax3048239 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This film has some good things going for it. First, a cast of MGM's finest -- Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery, Rosalind Russel, Robert Benchley, among others. Gable is the skipper of a somewhat battered passenger liner in Asiatic waters. Harlow is the girl he's been associated with, so to speak, a little "tainted", as Gable puts it. But who the hell is HE to talk? He comes aboard just before sailing, filthy and unshaven, hung over. He barks out orders to the crew and to just about everyone else. Rosalind Russel is an old flame from London and her husband has died so she is now "available." Wallace Beery is a likable big lug who gambles and drinks but is in cahoots with some pirates who take over the ship, just after the big hurricane hits. Benchley is thrown in as a harmless drunk given to wisecracks and non sequiturs, only one of which (about his being a chess master) is truly funny.
Second, there is the set dressing by Cedric Gibbons. Love it. Everything is painted white. The crummy little ship has a saloon the size of Madison Square Garden. This is one of those films in which all the men dress in white suits and wear pith helmets. The women's garb is more nearly traditional. Rosalind Russell has an English accent and an equally hoity-toity wardrobe. Harlow is dressed in slinky gowns that seem to glow in the dark and she eschews brassieres.
There are some slam-bang special effects during the hurricane. And a great scene in which the Malay pirates take over the ship and torture Gable to get him to squeal about where the gold is hidden. "Oh, NO! Not the Malay BOOT! Tell them where the gold is. I can't stand to witness this!" (That's Wallace Beery, who hasn't been outed as a traitor yet, in mock anguish over the torture Gable is about to undergo.) It seems that we're all set up for another rousing, funny, exotic adventure movie along the lines of "Gunga Din," except that the script keeps undercutting the light-heartedness with serious, sometimes rather insightful dialog. Example: Harlow is jealous of Russell and, at the captain's dinner table, she has a couple of drinks and starts shouting lewd and suggestive remarks. Russell: "You must be very fond of him." Harlow: "Whaddaya mean?" Russell: "To humiliate yourself like this." There are a lot of ways Russell's punch line could have been delivered -- angrily, with bitchiness, for instance, but Russell's tone and expression convey empathy and sadness. Gable too is given some sober, thoughtful exchanges but acts as if he can't quite bring himself to believe what he's saying, as if he'd prefer the careless, rough-hewn character that first appeared on the screen, kind of like his character in "Red Dust." It's an above average flick for its genre though. All that whiteness is almost blinding.
Second, there is the set dressing by Cedric Gibbons. Love it. Everything is painted white. The crummy little ship has a saloon the size of Madison Square Garden. This is one of those films in which all the men dress in white suits and wear pith helmets. The women's garb is more nearly traditional. Rosalind Russell has an English accent and an equally hoity-toity wardrobe. Harlow is dressed in slinky gowns that seem to glow in the dark and she eschews brassieres.
There are some slam-bang special effects during the hurricane. And a great scene in which the Malay pirates take over the ship and torture Gable to get him to squeal about where the gold is hidden. "Oh, NO! Not the Malay BOOT! Tell them where the gold is. I can't stand to witness this!" (That's Wallace Beery, who hasn't been outed as a traitor yet, in mock anguish over the torture Gable is about to undergo.) It seems that we're all set up for another rousing, funny, exotic adventure movie along the lines of "Gunga Din," except that the script keeps undercutting the light-heartedness with serious, sometimes rather insightful dialog. Example: Harlow is jealous of Russell and, at the captain's dinner table, she has a couple of drinks and starts shouting lewd and suggestive remarks. Russell: "You must be very fond of him." Harlow: "Whaddaya mean?" Russell: "To humiliate yourself like this." There are a lot of ways Russell's punch line could have been delivered -- angrily, with bitchiness, for instance, but Russell's tone and expression convey empathy and sadness. Gable too is given some sober, thoughtful exchanges but acts as if he can't quite bring himself to believe what he's saying, as if he'd prefer the careless, rough-hewn character that first appeared on the screen, kind of like his character in "Red Dust." It's an above average flick for its genre though. All that whiteness is almost blinding.
China Sea is shallow.
st-shot26 March 2011
Three MGM stars brawl their way from Hong Kong to Singapore in this Far East shipboard adventure that never picks much steam relying instead on the reputation of its stars to keep course.
Capt. Gaskell (Clark Gable) prepares to take his ship on it usual route across the China Sea with a variety of passengers from all walks. The voyage is complicated for Gaskell however when a current flame Dolly ( Jean Harlow ) and a long lost one Sibyl (Rosalind Russell) book passage. The captain must also contend with typhoons, pirates and securing the safety of a fortune in gold. When Sybil begins to wedge herself more into the picture with Gaskell Dolly behaves badly and irrationally throws in with Jamesy ( Wallace Beery ) whose in league with the pirates.
There's some decent wisecracking by Harlow in this lemon of a star vehicle for the three but for the most part it's a cacophony of yelling between them while Russell remains composed and undeveloped. Robert Benchley is also on board to provide comedy relief but seems as if he was filming one of his shorts subjects on the same set. Content to let the stars do what they do best China Seas squanders sub plot possibilities as well as give little attention to a scene that calls into question Gaskell's cold immorality regarding life and injury. Instead it chooses to keep the film in safe waters and dazzle you instead with the glow of its stars. Man the lifeboats.
Capt. Gaskell (Clark Gable) prepares to take his ship on it usual route across the China Sea with a variety of passengers from all walks. The voyage is complicated for Gaskell however when a current flame Dolly ( Jean Harlow ) and a long lost one Sibyl (Rosalind Russell) book passage. The captain must also contend with typhoons, pirates and securing the safety of a fortune in gold. When Sybil begins to wedge herself more into the picture with Gaskell Dolly behaves badly and irrationally throws in with Jamesy ( Wallace Beery ) whose in league with the pirates.
There's some decent wisecracking by Harlow in this lemon of a star vehicle for the three but for the most part it's a cacophony of yelling between them while Russell remains composed and undeveloped. Robert Benchley is also on board to provide comedy relief but seems as if he was filming one of his shorts subjects on the same set. Content to let the stars do what they do best China Seas squanders sub plot possibilities as well as give little attention to a scene that calls into question Gaskell's cold immorality regarding life and injury. Instead it chooses to keep the film in safe waters and dazzle you instead with the glow of its stars. Man the lifeboats.
Harlow, magnificent idiot
Tashtago17 July 2008
A pretty good movie with an excellent cast and some decent special effects. Gable is at his best and the same can be said for Beery , Sir C. and Harlow. I haven't seen many Harlow films but I'm assuming that her stock character is the one she portrays here , a sort of bad girl with a heart of gold, a lovable moron who speaks first and thinks later. The kind of woman who (if she were your wife/girlfriend) would ruin a party and make a big scene if she became jealous. In other words the kind of woman most men might stupidly have casual sex with and then realizing what an idiot they were saddled with, run away from as fast as they could. I'm guessing many depression era women could identify with her low class stubborn pride but now she seems like an annoying , shrill, infantile idiot constantly seeking approval. As a portrait of this kind of woman , Harlow is magnificent. You might want to strangle her or throw her overboard but she's always watchable, the bra less gowns help.
A really enjoyable film hindered by an ending that just made no sense!
planktonrules9 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The first 95% or more of the film was quite enjoyable and this is no surprise considering the talent MGM assembled for the film. Three of its biggest money-making stars (Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Wallace Beery) were featured in this film, along with other notables such as Lewis Stone and Rosalind Russell. The plot is all about a cargo/passenger ship commanded by Clark in the China Seas--which is an area infested with pirates. Beery is one of the passengers but unknown to everyone, he's also the leader of the pirates!! Harlow is Clark's ex-girlfriend. Just how close she and Clark were is a bit vague, though it is implied they were more than just boyfriend/girlfriend. However, an old flame, Russell, comes aboard and Clark quickly dumps Harlow in favor of her because Russell isn't a loud-mouthed skank--plus she is pretty sophisticated with her British accent. Here is an odd bit of casting, because we then hear that Clark, too, is British, but he made no attempt at an accent and sounded about as British as the Frito Bandito or Yogi Berra!! But, despite this, the writing is pretty good and the acting top-notch, so it can easily be ignored.
Unfortunately, what cannot be ignored is the end of the film. It just made absolutely no sense at all. While Harlow was a foul-mouthed tramp who actually HELPED the pirates, Clark unexpectedly dumps Russell at the end even though she's a stand-up dame (great lingo, huh?)! It seems that the ONLY reason they ended the film that way was because Harlow was by far a bigger star compared to Russell and they just couldn't let Clark end the film without Harlow. Plus, in so many, many, many ways, this film is RED DUST, PART II. Both feature the pair in Southeast Asia, both had a back story where Gable and Harlow were strongly implied to be more than just "friends" and both had Gable fall for a sophisticated lady yet end up with Harlow in the end of the film!
Unfortunately, what cannot be ignored is the end of the film. It just made absolutely no sense at all. While Harlow was a foul-mouthed tramp who actually HELPED the pirates, Clark unexpectedly dumps Russell at the end even though she's a stand-up dame (great lingo, huh?)! It seems that the ONLY reason they ended the film that way was because Harlow was by far a bigger star compared to Russell and they just couldn't let Clark end the film without Harlow. Plus, in so many, many, many ways, this film is RED DUST, PART II. Both feature the pair in Southeast Asia, both had a back story where Gable and Harlow were strongly implied to be more than just "friends" and both had Gable fall for a sophisticated lady yet end up with Harlow in the end of the film!
Agreeable and fast-moving romantic adventure with big name cast and top-notch secondaries
ma-cortes18 May 2022
A challenge to all screen history in which a captain Alan Gaskell (Clark Gable) commands a ship bound from Hong Kong to Singapore . While Dolly Portland (Jean Harlow) is rejected by Captain Gaskell in favor of a socialite (Rosalind Russell) . Then some Malay pirates assault violently the ship . Things go wrong when a temporary takeover of the ship by gold-seeking Asian pirates and a typhoon taking place. Things sure get hot when these two guys fall for the blonde ! Cast of thousands in biggest action-spectacle! .Roaring acroos the screen with all the fury of a tropical typhoon ! "Where the Dawn Comes Up Like Thunder" The greatest star combination in screen history! Two men of the sea...and a charmer from the ports of the Orient!
Enjoyable and attractive tale taken from Crosbie Garstin's adventurous novel with success enough . Dealing with a captain of a commercial steamship on China route who has to fight off murderous Malay pirates , a spurned woman and a raging typhoon to reach port safety . Tay Garnett's direction being made with good sense of atmosphere and locale . Main cast is frankly fabulous with Clark Gable as a tough captain of a Chinese river steamer in pirate-infested waters and Jean Harlow is once again the lady in distress with a spotted past who we all know is the perfect mate for Gable if he'd only realize it himself . Support cast is first-class with top-drawer secondaries giving terrific interpretations , such as : Rosalind Russell , veteran MGM star Lewis Stone , Dudley Digges , C. Aubrey Smith , Robert Benchley, William Henry , Lilian Bond, Edward Brophy and a young Akim Tamiroff , all catch the eye . Acting honours , however , go to always sympathetic Wallace Beery .
Filmmaker , traveller and sometimes round-the -world-yatchman Tay Garnett delivers an efficient direction . Prolific director Tay entered films in 1920 as a screenwriter . After a stint as a gag writer for Mack Sennett and Hal Roach he joined Pathe, then the distributor for both competing comedy producers, and in 1928 began directing for that company . Garnett garnered some attention in the early 1930s with such films as Bad company (1931) and Way Passage (1932) , but his best work came in the mid-'30s and early 1940s with such films as S. O. S. Iceberg (1933) , China seas (1935), Slave Ship (1937) and Trade Winds (1938) . His best known film would have to the John Garfield/Lana Turner vehicle : The postman always rings twice (1946), although his version of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949) was a well-deserved critical and commercial success as well . Other successes were the following ones : Bataan (1943) , The cross of Lorraine (1943) , Soldiers Three (151) , The Black Knight (1953) , Stand-in , Mrs Parkington , Cause for alarm , The big push , Seven sinners , Slighly honorable , Main Street to Broadway , Cheers for Miss Bishop , Eternally yours , among others . China Seas (1935) results to be a treat for Clark Gable , Jean Harlow and Rosalind Russell fans . This charming screen romp has a rating : 6.5/10. Well worth watching. Essential and indispensable seeing .
Enjoyable and attractive tale taken from Crosbie Garstin's adventurous novel with success enough . Dealing with a captain of a commercial steamship on China route who has to fight off murderous Malay pirates , a spurned woman and a raging typhoon to reach port safety . Tay Garnett's direction being made with good sense of atmosphere and locale . Main cast is frankly fabulous with Clark Gable as a tough captain of a Chinese river steamer in pirate-infested waters and Jean Harlow is once again the lady in distress with a spotted past who we all know is the perfect mate for Gable if he'd only realize it himself . Support cast is first-class with top-drawer secondaries giving terrific interpretations , such as : Rosalind Russell , veteran MGM star Lewis Stone , Dudley Digges , C. Aubrey Smith , Robert Benchley, William Henry , Lilian Bond, Edward Brophy and a young Akim Tamiroff , all catch the eye . Acting honours , however , go to always sympathetic Wallace Beery .
Filmmaker , traveller and sometimes round-the -world-yatchman Tay Garnett delivers an efficient direction . Prolific director Tay entered films in 1920 as a screenwriter . After a stint as a gag writer for Mack Sennett and Hal Roach he joined Pathe, then the distributor for both competing comedy producers, and in 1928 began directing for that company . Garnett garnered some attention in the early 1930s with such films as Bad company (1931) and Way Passage (1932) , but his best work came in the mid-'30s and early 1940s with such films as S. O. S. Iceberg (1933) , China seas (1935), Slave Ship (1937) and Trade Winds (1938) . His best known film would have to the John Garfield/Lana Turner vehicle : The postman always rings twice (1946), although his version of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949) was a well-deserved critical and commercial success as well . Other successes were the following ones : Bataan (1943) , The cross of Lorraine (1943) , Soldiers Three (151) , The Black Knight (1953) , Stand-in , Mrs Parkington , Cause for alarm , The big push , Seven sinners , Slighly honorable , Main Street to Broadway , Cheers for Miss Bishop , Eternally yours , among others . China Seas (1935) results to be a treat for Clark Gable , Jean Harlow and Rosalind Russell fans . This charming screen romp has a rating : 6.5/10. Well worth watching. Essential and indispensable seeing .
On The High Seas Of Adventure With Gable, Harlow & Beery
Ron Oliver11 March 2000
British Hong Kong, mid 1930's. A freighter makes ready to lift anchor on its way to Singapore, carrying with it £250,000 in hidden gold. The passengers & crew are a colorful mix of often violent hatreds & animosities. Traveling into typhoon-swept, pirate-haunted waters, danger & death awaits all those who enter the CHINA SEAS.
While admittedly the plot is a little far-fetched, this was one of the great all-star features which MGM did so well during its heyday. The sets are lavish (especially the bustling docks) and except for the occasional use of a model, the ship scenes look realistic.
The cast is made-up of some of the Studio's best: Clark Gable as the captain - given to drink & homesick for England, he must choose between the two women he loves; Jean Harlow, the brassy blonde with too much past, passionate in defense of her man; Wallace Beery, gambler & exporter, bluff, hearty & treacherous; Rosalind Russell, the English society girl, cool & beautiful.
Rounding out the excellent supporting cast are Lewis Stone, as an old ship's officer accused of cowardice; Robert Benchley as a perpetually inebriated American novelist; Edward Brophy & Lillian Bond as American tourists who attract the notice of lustful Russian swindler Akim Tamiroff; and wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith, as the founder of the shipping line.
Film mavens will spot uncredited performances by Willie Fung as a cabin boy; Donald Meek as a chess player; Emily Fitzroy as a gossipy passenger; and especially Hattie McDaniel, hilarious as Harlow's maid.
On a side note, one of the writers for this film was Paul Bern, an important MGM producer & Harlow's husband. His 1932 murder by his deranged common-law spouse, made to look like a suicide by MGM security to protect Harlow's career, would provide one of Hollywood with one of its most famous scandals.
While admittedly the plot is a little far-fetched, this was one of the great all-star features which MGM did so well during its heyday. The sets are lavish (especially the bustling docks) and except for the occasional use of a model, the ship scenes look realistic.
The cast is made-up of some of the Studio's best: Clark Gable as the captain - given to drink & homesick for England, he must choose between the two women he loves; Jean Harlow, the brassy blonde with too much past, passionate in defense of her man; Wallace Beery, gambler & exporter, bluff, hearty & treacherous; Rosalind Russell, the English society girl, cool & beautiful.
Rounding out the excellent supporting cast are Lewis Stone, as an old ship's officer accused of cowardice; Robert Benchley as a perpetually inebriated American novelist; Edward Brophy & Lillian Bond as American tourists who attract the notice of lustful Russian swindler Akim Tamiroff; and wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith, as the founder of the shipping line.
Film mavens will spot uncredited performances by Willie Fung as a cabin boy; Donald Meek as a chess player; Emily Fitzroy as a gossipy passenger; and especially Hattie McDaniel, hilarious as Harlow's maid.
On a side note, one of the writers for this film was Paul Bern, an important MGM producer & Harlow's husband. His 1932 murder by his deranged common-law spouse, made to look like a suicide by MGM security to protect Harlow's career, would provide one of Hollywood with one of its most famous scandals.
china seas
mossgrymk31 October 2023
Your typical 1930s Hollywood, Depression free zone where audiences could come in out of the financial cold and forget their economic (and other) woes by watching Gable, Harlow and Beery et al battle typhoons, Malay pirates (along with the ever menacing Malay Boot) and each other. That it all worked and made money for MGM is thanks to a lively, snappy script from Jules Furthman, who also penned the similar, if much better, "Shanghai Express", and James K. McGuiness, well handled action and pacing from director Tay Garnett and, of course, thoroughly enjoyable performances from not only the three leads but Lewis Stone as the Lord Jim of this particular voyage, and C. Aubrey Smith as Gable's crusty but wise boss.
A few caveats. Could have done without the pervasive racism which includes not only Hattie McDaniel at her most annoyingly mammy-ish but, more egregiously, numerous swipes at Asians from their dirty yellow rivers to placing their deaths at sea below that of Caucasians. I also feel that when you have a great comic actor like Roz Russell you should give her at least one funny line and Robert Benchley's Frank McHugh imitation gets pretty old, pretty fast.
Bottom line: A fairly diverting cruise. B minus.
PS...Were you bothered that Gable's English sea captain had an Ohio accent? Me, neither.
A few caveats. Could have done without the pervasive racism which includes not only Hattie McDaniel at her most annoyingly mammy-ish but, more egregiously, numerous swipes at Asians from their dirty yellow rivers to placing their deaths at sea below that of Caucasians. I also feel that when you have a great comic actor like Roz Russell you should give her at least one funny line and Robert Benchley's Frank McHugh imitation gets pretty old, pretty fast.
Bottom line: A fairly diverting cruise. B minus.
PS...Were you bothered that Gable's English sea captain had an Ohio accent? Me, neither.
Nothing Ever Happens on a Steamer in the China Seas
theowinthrop24 October 2005
The studios in the "Golden Age" of films loved to stick to successful formulas that worked for their actors and directors. Just go down the list of performers that you can recall: A fine actor like Basil Rathbone is either the heavy or villain, or Sherlock Holmes (but not, as he wished, Rhett Butler). Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich could not play normal housewives, nor could Joan Crawford play a stupid woman. Oliver Hardy could always have a wife, but never a happy marriage (and if it approached happiness, Stan Laurel would help destroy that). Lewis Stone, sterling character actor, only achieved permanent stardom when he inherited the role of Judge Hardy from Lionel Barrymore, and he would remain the perfect, wise father to Mickey Rooney in a dozen films. As for Barrymore, while he had a higher degree of stardom than Stone, he fell nicely into a niche as the original Dr. Leonard Gilespie, opposite Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare.
In 1932 MGM got the bright idea of making a dramatic film of Vicki Baum's "Grand Hotel" with an all star cast (John and Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt, and Tully Marshall). The film won the best picture Oscar, so it became a standard for other MGM projects to copy. The best known is "Dinner At Eight" (both Barrymore brothers again, Beery again, Jean Harlow, Marie Dressler, Billy Burke, Edmund Lowe, Lee Tracy, Hersholt again). But "David Copperfield", "The Prisoner OF Zenda", and several other Selznick films, and "The Women" (with only a cast of actresses - Crawford, Shearer, Russell, Fontaine, Goddard, and Boland) followed the same formula with variants by the settings and plots of the films.
"China Seas" was an early example of the formula "all star" film, a "Grand Hotel" set at sea. The plot is varied: C. Aubrey Smith is having a cargo of gold shipped by his ship captained by Gable. The passengers include Harlow (who has had a long standing on-again, off-again romance with Gable), Russell (Gable's current love interest - a real English lady type), Beery (an untrustworthy gambler and thief - he may be planning to steal the gold), Robert Benchley (an American novelist on a permanent toot), Edward Brophy and Lillian Bond as a married couple on a tour (Ms Bond has her secrets from her husband), Akim Tamiroff (a man who knows how to take advantage of secrets), Dudley Digges (a self-satisfied and smug chief executive officer), and Lewis Stone (a former sea captain, now reduced in rank and a pariah due to an act of cowardice).
The film is a lively mixture of comedy and tragedy, including the death of one of the villains. Harlow demonstrates an interesting way of playing cards and drinking that suggests more than the film shows. Benchley never appears clear eyed and sober throughout all the film. Stone, in a powerful moment, leaves the self-righteous Digges with a permanent black mark on his self-esteem. Gable and Beery show what the "boot" is, and how effective it is. This is a film where the activities of the cast are so involving you never get bored even when you see the film another time. And at the end, as the ship reaches port (as in "Grand Hotel"), life goes on as though nothing (including a pirate attack) ever even occurred.
In 1932 MGM got the bright idea of making a dramatic film of Vicki Baum's "Grand Hotel" with an all star cast (John and Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Jean Hersholt, and Tully Marshall). The film won the best picture Oscar, so it became a standard for other MGM projects to copy. The best known is "Dinner At Eight" (both Barrymore brothers again, Beery again, Jean Harlow, Marie Dressler, Billy Burke, Edmund Lowe, Lee Tracy, Hersholt again). But "David Copperfield", "The Prisoner OF Zenda", and several other Selznick films, and "The Women" (with only a cast of actresses - Crawford, Shearer, Russell, Fontaine, Goddard, and Boland) followed the same formula with variants by the settings and plots of the films.
"China Seas" was an early example of the formula "all star" film, a "Grand Hotel" set at sea. The plot is varied: C. Aubrey Smith is having a cargo of gold shipped by his ship captained by Gable. The passengers include Harlow (who has had a long standing on-again, off-again romance with Gable), Russell (Gable's current love interest - a real English lady type), Beery (an untrustworthy gambler and thief - he may be planning to steal the gold), Robert Benchley (an American novelist on a permanent toot), Edward Brophy and Lillian Bond as a married couple on a tour (Ms Bond has her secrets from her husband), Akim Tamiroff (a man who knows how to take advantage of secrets), Dudley Digges (a self-satisfied and smug chief executive officer), and Lewis Stone (a former sea captain, now reduced in rank and a pariah due to an act of cowardice).
The film is a lively mixture of comedy and tragedy, including the death of one of the villains. Harlow demonstrates an interesting way of playing cards and drinking that suggests more than the film shows. Benchley never appears clear eyed and sober throughout all the film. Stone, in a powerful moment, leaves the self-righteous Digges with a permanent black mark on his self-esteem. Gable and Beery show what the "boot" is, and how effective it is. This is a film where the activities of the cast are so involving you never get bored even when you see the film another time. And at the end, as the ship reaches port (as in "Grand Hotel"), life goes on as though nothing (including a pirate attack) ever even occurred.
The definition of MGM in 1935
1930s_Time_Machine15 February 2024
1935, England - Rowntree chocolate make the first Kit Kat. 1935, Germany - Hitler doubles his military spending. 1935, America - Jean Harlow wears that dress! To some, the looming threat of another world war troubling. To others, even with FDR's New Deal, the end of The Depression seemed like a story told to calm children. To most however surely the event of 1935 was Jean Harlow in that slinky satin dress... indeed that slinky satin dress which gets wet.... Indeed that slinky satin dress which gets wet and for just a second slips off.
That's one memorable aspect of this film but CHINA SEAS is so much more but it's really not that obvious what that it. It's certainly not a classic and besides Miss Harlow's memorable dress, the actual story is instantly forgettable.
Clearly I'm fixated with that dress, so much so I'm reminded of Norma Shearer's even slinkier one in 1931's superb A FREE SOUL which also starred Clarke Gable. That earlier film however was a drama, it played to your emotions, it told a story and above all it made you think (and not just about Norma Shearer in that dress). CHINA SEAS however is different. It was actually conceived about the same time but Thalberg waited until the script, the perfect blend of actors and the technology were just right before making it four years after the planning. Had this bee made in 1931, even with the freedom of the pre-code era, it would not be something you'd consider watching now because unlike A FREE SOUL this isn't designed to make you think, it's designed just to entertain and Thalberg achieves this perfectly. This is exactly what MGM did - they had their high standards of course but they didn't care about making an artistic impact, they cared about making profit and they did that by making big glossy pictures which they knew would appeal to almost everyone. They were the perfect business model for the hungry '30s. Watched today somewhere at the back of your mind a mental scorecard is being ticked off: Adventure - yes. Intrigue - yes. Romance - yes etc - everything you expect is there in just the right proportions, at the exact time you expect it and all at just the right pace.
It's not one of my favourite films but made with such absolute professionalism you have to take your hat off to Mr Thalberg and indeed to Tay Garnett who directs this brilliantly.
That's one memorable aspect of this film but CHINA SEAS is so much more but it's really not that obvious what that it. It's certainly not a classic and besides Miss Harlow's memorable dress, the actual story is instantly forgettable.
Clearly I'm fixated with that dress, so much so I'm reminded of Norma Shearer's even slinkier one in 1931's superb A FREE SOUL which also starred Clarke Gable. That earlier film however was a drama, it played to your emotions, it told a story and above all it made you think (and not just about Norma Shearer in that dress). CHINA SEAS however is different. It was actually conceived about the same time but Thalberg waited until the script, the perfect blend of actors and the technology were just right before making it four years after the planning. Had this bee made in 1931, even with the freedom of the pre-code era, it would not be something you'd consider watching now because unlike A FREE SOUL this isn't designed to make you think, it's designed just to entertain and Thalberg achieves this perfectly. This is exactly what MGM did - they had their high standards of course but they didn't care about making an artistic impact, they cared about making profit and they did that by making big glossy pictures which they knew would appeal to almost everyone. They were the perfect business model for the hungry '30s. Watched today somewhere at the back of your mind a mental scorecard is being ticked off: Adventure - yes. Intrigue - yes. Romance - yes etc - everything you expect is there in just the right proportions, at the exact time you expect it and all at just the right pace.
It's not one of my favourite films but made with such absolute professionalism you have to take your hat off to Mr Thalberg and indeed to Tay Garnett who directs this brilliantly.
A solid, well-crafted film of MGM's Heyday
Tobias_R15 August 2006
It is a relief to see a vibrantly entertaining film that is well-crafted as a finely made chair. Like most chairs, this film is no classic like "Citizen Kane" or "Gone With The Wind" but it's exciting with charismatic leads like Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. The chemistry between the two is gripping, even if a lot of their encounters in this movie are rather repetitious of the "I love you but I shouldn't" variety. One can see why Gable and Harlow were cast together at every opportunity MGM had from "Red Dust" onward. The other supporting actors are quite good especially Wallace Beery as a slippery villain. While Robert Benchley is quite amusing, his drunk act starts getting really old after a while. Also, it's quite sobering to realize that Benchley would die in 1945 from the effects of long-term alcoholism. In sum, despite some unhappy reminders of Hollywood's racism of times past, this is a fine film that probably served as one source of inspiration for Spielberg's Indiana Jones series of films in the 1980s.
Pretty good.
gazzo-230 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed the cast-Harlow, Beery, Gable, Benchley, Hattie, Russell. This was filled w/ familiar faces, some of whom-Gable, Harlow and Beery who I've not seen as much of as I should. Beery esp. reminded me of Victor MacLaglen, they should have played siblings sometime, it woulda worked.
The plot-well you know it already. Gable is the sea captain, Russell is his old flame, Harlow is the tarnished 'tough dame/floozy' he's seeing, Beery is in cahoots w/ Malay pirates to take the gold on board in the Steam-roller, etc etc.
Best part is the steam-roller to-ing and fro-ing during the storm, quite exciting and well done. You also hadda like the Human-bomb turn of Lewis Stone (Andy Hardy's dad), redeeming himself and saving the day at the cost of his life.
Overall it's worth watching, though it's def. a period piece.
*** outta ****
The plot-well you know it already. Gable is the sea captain, Russell is his old flame, Harlow is the tarnished 'tough dame/floozy' he's seeing, Beery is in cahoots w/ Malay pirates to take the gold on board in the Steam-roller, etc etc.
Best part is the steam-roller to-ing and fro-ing during the storm, quite exciting and well done. You also hadda like the Human-bomb turn of Lewis Stone (Andy Hardy's dad), redeeming himself and saving the day at the cost of his life.
Overall it's worth watching, though it's def. a period piece.
*** outta ****
not much to see here
SamPamBam17 April 2020
30's escapism....thin plot, so-so action, so-so acting, just another Red Dust, nothing to get excited about...but as I'm not living in my grandmother's time, not experiencing the horrors of roosevelt and his depression, i'm not going to bust on this too much. Try to enjoy it if you can. (did Harlow ever do much more that shout?)
Lukewarm High Seas Drama
atlasmb9 June 2014
This film might be worth seeing just for the cast, but here are some reasons why I cannot rank it highly:
1. I'll admit that Harlow does show different sides of her character in "China Seas", but throughout most of the film she is just shouting as are many of the cast.
2. Gable may be the best thing in this film, but his role does not give him much to work with.
3. I can't say I was drawn into the story. Most of the interesting moments take place during the brief portion that involves the pirating of the ship. And this is a film about mostly unlikeable characters.
4. Rosalind Russell is interesting to see so early in her career and because she is not playing her usual larger-than-life character. Here, she fairly fades into the bulwark, though, next to the other actors who are chewing up the scenery.
5.Harlow's eyebrows. Sorry, but those drawn-on clown eyes practically negate all of her charms.
6. I can't buy the choices Gable's character makes at the end of the film. I understand his attraction to the shipping life, but not his attraction to a certain woman.
1. I'll admit that Harlow does show different sides of her character in "China Seas", but throughout most of the film she is just shouting as are many of the cast.
2. Gable may be the best thing in this film, but his role does not give him much to work with.
3. I can't say I was drawn into the story. Most of the interesting moments take place during the brief portion that involves the pirating of the ship. And this is a film about mostly unlikeable characters.
4. Rosalind Russell is interesting to see so early in her career and because she is not playing her usual larger-than-life character. Here, she fairly fades into the bulwark, though, next to the other actors who are chewing up the scenery.
5.Harlow's eyebrows. Sorry, but those drawn-on clown eyes practically negate all of her charms.
6. I can't buy the choices Gable's character makes at the end of the film. I understand his attraction to the shipping life, but not his attraction to a certain woman.
Was Gable on meth?
vincentlynch-moonoi20 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I'm only joking, of course, but what's with Clark Gable's diction in this film. Every time he takes on his official role as captain, he doesn't talk, he barks...a lot. Gable is a favorite of mine, but by the end of this film I wanted to cut his tongue out! And that's not the only negative here, in my view.
Some of our reviewers here are raving about the casting. I'm not. And we'll start with Jean Harlow. I have to say that I've never understood the attraction, other than her looks. And after watching her in this film...I still don't. To be honest, her character is too foolish to be believable, and it's amazing no one noticed that, even back in 1935. I feel the same about Wallace Beery.
I was pleased to see Lewis Stone here as a somewhat down and out third officer. It's a different kind of role for him -- as a coward who ultimately redeems himself; he does well with it.
Rosalind Russell is interesting as the surprise love interest. C. Aubrey Smith is enchanting as ever as the owner of the shipping line. Robert Benchley can be pretty amusing and clever; he's not here...he just plays a perpetual drunk. Interestingly, Hattie McDaniel -- a Gable favorite, and soon to be Mammy in GWTW, is here, but received no screen credit...and, as usual, plays a maid.
In terms of the plot, this film reminds me of the structure a lot of the more modern disaster films take. A couple of big name stars at the top of the billing, and then a series of subplots where we learn a little bit about each supporting character. The longer you watch the film, the more you realize that the story lines are more complex than you typically found in films from 1935...and that's what makes this film fairly satisfying. And, for 1935, the special effects (primarily the typhoon) are darned good! Recommended, with reservations.
Some of our reviewers here are raving about the casting. I'm not. And we'll start with Jean Harlow. I have to say that I've never understood the attraction, other than her looks. And after watching her in this film...I still don't. To be honest, her character is too foolish to be believable, and it's amazing no one noticed that, even back in 1935. I feel the same about Wallace Beery.
I was pleased to see Lewis Stone here as a somewhat down and out third officer. It's a different kind of role for him -- as a coward who ultimately redeems himself; he does well with it.
Rosalind Russell is interesting as the surprise love interest. C. Aubrey Smith is enchanting as ever as the owner of the shipping line. Robert Benchley can be pretty amusing and clever; he's not here...he just plays a perpetual drunk. Interestingly, Hattie McDaniel -- a Gable favorite, and soon to be Mammy in GWTW, is here, but received no screen credit...and, as usual, plays a maid.
In terms of the plot, this film reminds me of the structure a lot of the more modern disaster films take. A couple of big name stars at the top of the billing, and then a series of subplots where we learn a little bit about each supporting character. The longer you watch the film, the more you realize that the story lines are more complex than you typically found in films from 1935...and that's what makes this film fairly satisfying. And, for 1935, the special effects (primarily the typhoon) are darned good! Recommended, with reservations.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
