Phantom Ship

This fictional story is based on true event -- the finding of a ship with no one on it.....and gives a plausible "explanation" of what MIGHT have happened.

This film is notable for Lugosi's dramatic performance; it's one of the (very) few films that he was able to show his dramatic (as opposed to horror) side.

This is a VERY difficult film to find.....but worth watching for Lugosi's performance alone!

Watching this film one wonders if the scene of the discovery of the Mary Celeste was actually supposed to come at the beginning rather than at the end, since as a whole it would have worked far better in flashback.

Film historians often regard old movies with the benefit of hindsight; and this little curiosity has always caught the eye of researchers since it represents the intersection of the careers of Bela Lugosi and Hammer Films (Gibson Gowland even plays a character called 'Gilling'). Watching the thing is another matter however, since for most of it's length - apart a few outdoor scenes shot in Folkestone - it consists almost entirely of talk, obviously shot in a studio.

Shirley Grey wears a sleek thirties bob totally wrong for film set in 1872. Lugosi spends the entire film looking and sounding as if he's just woken up; but when it eventually comes his final scene is a beaut!

In history the crew of the Mary Celeste disappeared and this film attempts to show a possible recreation. Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Anton Lorenzen, a mad crazed man seeking revenge against the crew of the Mary Celeste is wonderful. None of the crew can remember what Lorenzen looks like so he is able to join the new crew. One by one crew members are murdered or just disappear until one person remains. But when the floating ship is found there is no one aboard. An interesting tale to watch even if predictable.

While this isn't the greatest film in history, the Marie Celeste is a puzzle and it's fun watching her self-destruct. Lugosi showed some real chops in this film. Not long after Dracula, we get to see him play a character who is filled with vengeance and fury. Lugosi makes him a really sympathetic person who has obviously been wronged and has seemingly given up on life. The relationship of the captain and his wife on board this strange ship is a bit strained. Why would he do this? Also, there has to be a reel missing from this film. There are a couple of deaths that simply happen but we aren't privy to them. I've always enjoyed the claustrophobic milieu that is a ship, no escape available for anyone, and this one uses that closed in atmosphere pretty well. Still, it is pretty unsatisfying at times.

A crew set out to sea on the Mary Celeste, circa the 1870's, only to face foul weather, mysterious motives, and murder. The odds are stacked against them as all sorts of seafaring bad luck omens pop up, from 13 crew members, to a black cat onboard, to a woman (Shirley Grey) on the ship. Also starring Bela Lugosi as a crazed one-armed sailor and Arthur Margeston as the square-jawed captain

No one knows what occurred on the real Mary Celeste, which was found adrift with all crew missing. The storyline that the film concocts is silly and lurid, and only vaguely entertaining. Lugosi, who looks terrible, hams it up uncontrollably, and his accent is so thick that his voice is dubbed near the end when what he says is important. This was only the second film produced by Hammer, which 20 years later would become synonymous with British horror.