O Navio dos Salvados

Another "B" that's worth a look – especially for fans of Laura La Plante – is the 1931 The Sea Ghost (later re-issued as U 67). The movie stars Alan Hale as a disgraced skipper (courtesy of the stock footage library) and German actor, Peter Erkelenz (in what turned out to be the second of only two Hollywood movies). The plot (propelled by Clarence Wilson's sneaky lawyer) moves from one creaky situation to the next and is certainly not helped by Claud Allister's typical British-to-the-backbone comic relief. Nonetheless, director William Nigh handles a bit of location footage with finesse. As for Miss La Plante's blonde bombshell, she certainly looks great (thanks to ace photographer, Sid Hickox, on loan from Warner Brothers)) but her voice seems both a little too soft and too cultured for a hard-boiled heroine.