Sea Devils is a 1937 American action film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Victor McLaglen, Ida Lupino and Preston Foster. Among the American "preparedness films" of the mid-1930s devoted to enhancing the image of the Army (Flirtation Walk), the Navy (Here Comes the Navy) and the Marines (The Singing Marine, Devil Dogs of the Air), this entry focuses equivalent approving attention on the work of the U.S. Coast Guard.[2][3]
| Sea Devils | |
|---|---|
 Victor McLaglen and Helen Flint in film | |
| Directed by | Benjamin Stoloff |
| Written by | Frank Wead Edmund Joseph |
| Screenplay by | Frank Wead John Twist P. J. Wolfson |
| Produced by | Edward Small |
| Starring | Victor McLaglen Ida Lupino Preston Foster |
| Cinematography | Joseph H. August J. Roy Hunt |
| Edited by | Arthur Roberts |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $477,000[1] |
| Box office | $940,000[1] |
Plot
editA Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer's personality conflict with his younger counterpart gets physical when the seaman casts his eye on the Chief's librarian daughter, among iceberg destruction missions, dramatic boat rescues, and fistfights.
Cast
edit- Victor McLaglen as CPO William Malone
- Preston Foster as Michael O'Shea
- Ida Lupino as Doris Malone
- Donald Woods as Steve Webb
- Helen Flint as Sadie Bennett
- Gordon Jones as Puggy
- Pierre Watkin as USCGC Taroe commander
- Murray Alper as Seaman Brown
- Billy Gilbert as Billy (policeman)
Unbilled players include Lane Chandler, George Irving, Dwight Frye Charles Lane and Brad Slaven .
Production
editThe film was to be directed by James Flood, but he left the project shortly before shooting after a disagreement with producer Small.[4]
Reception
editThe film was popular and made a profit of $155,000.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931–1951', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol. 14 No. 1, 1994, p. 56
- ^ Lawrence H. Suid. Guts & Glory: the Making of the American Military Image in Film. p. 62.
- ^ FRANK S. NUGENT. (March 16, 1937). "THE SCREEN: 'Sea Devils'". New York Times. p. 26.
- ^ "James Flood and Edward Small Split Over 'Coast Patrol' -- Cantor for Winchell-Bernie Film". New York Times. October 14, 1936. p. 31.
External links
edit
- Sea Devils at IMDb
- Sea Devils at the TCM Movie Database
- Sea Devils at AllMovie
- Sea Devils at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films