The Ship from Shanghai

Yes, this early talkie is not the smoothest production to watch. And some of the acting could have been more subtle. But I found it interesting to watch--mostly because it represents an historic era in filmmaking.

The story is about a small group of idle rich who decide to sail a yacht across the Pacific. During the trip, they are ignorant of the crew's dissatisfaction with the way they are treated. The steward, Ted, especially is resentful of his lot in life. He privately vents his anger over having to wait hand and foot for people who, he feels, are no better than he.

Due to uncontrollable circumstances, the situation changes. Class distinctions break down and Ted makes a power play, motivated by revenge and his perception of "justice".

Variations of this story have been filmed numerous times since, which makes me wonder if some of them originated from this film. There are definite similarities between this film and "Swept Away", which I heartily recommend--the original directed by Lina Wertmuller.