This Val Lewton produced film is not what one would likely expect from the title: a ghost story...so don't expect that going in. It isn't even really an Horror film per se although there are elements at work here which will prove horrific to many viewers. What it is instead is a seafaring adventure yarn about a Captain who's slowly going mad (and homicidal) due to his obsession with authority and only our heroic lead Tom Merriam, the 3rd Officer, seems to want to do anything about it. Everyone else seems to either not believe Merriam or dismisses what he tells them for fear of losing their jobs. Merriam however retains his values and ethics throughout the film even when they don't work out in his favor. While the film possesses the mood and style one expects from Lewton's films, the content and in some cases atmosphere is really not what one expects from the producer. Also events here do seem to wrap themselves up much too quickly. Still all in all there's enough good stuff here that this film is definitely worth seeking out.
77 Reviews
Underrated Lewton
Mike-76414 October 2005
Tom Merriam is a third mate on the Altair, a cargo ship headed by Captain Stone, who Merriam looks to as a father figure, since Stone has the experience and the full loyalty of the crew. Merriam's opinion of his commanding officer is changed after a series of events (including the death of a mate due the captain's interference) and Merriam believes that Stone is unfit to command the ship. A hearing at the ship's port has the crew and line agent side with Stone, and Merriam is relieved of his duties as third mate. While on shore, Merriam is knocked out for trying to stop a fight, and is put back on the Altair much to his and Stone's disapproval. Stone says Merriam is now a guest on the ship, but the crew shuns him and Merriam believes that Stone is going totally insane and plans to kill Merriam, who now has to find someone to believe him before its too late. Underrated (and for a long time, unseen) classic from the Lewton-RKO 9, with above average script, camera-work, cinematography, but highlighted by probably Dix's best performance as Stone, as a man who is insane try to fool himself and those around him by acting normal. Excellent moments of suspense (especially for me when Merriam notices the lock missing from his door) make this a film one to get a hold of. Rating, 8.
Lewton Does It Again
Bucs196019 October 2005
The title of this film is misleading as it implies a ghost story.....but of course, it isn't. In fact it isn't even a horror film in the general sense. It is more a psychological thriller, surrounding the personality of the ship's captain, played by that old war horse, Richard Dix. And he does a terrific job of letting the viewer glimpse the madness beneath his controlled exterior. His byword is "authority" and he goes to unbelievable lengths to assert that authority.
Russell Wade, with whom I am unfamiliar, plays the Third Officer, who sees through the captain in short order and vainly attempts to convince the crew of Dix's insanity......but to no avail. The only person who is aware of the problem is a mute played by probably one of the most unattractive and busiest character players in Hollywood, Skelton Knaggs and he becomes somewhat of a hero in the final few minutes of the film. Edith Barrett, who was used by Lewton in other films, makes a limited appearance as the captain's inamorata. Look for Lawrence Tierney, future Hollywood bad boy, as a target of the captain's revenge.
Val Lewton was the master of atmospheric films made on a limited budget and he doesn't miss with this one. It's a dandy!!
Russell Wade, with whom I am unfamiliar, plays the Third Officer, who sees through the captain in short order and vainly attempts to convince the crew of Dix's insanity......but to no avail. The only person who is aware of the problem is a mute played by probably one of the most unattractive and busiest character players in Hollywood, Skelton Knaggs and he becomes somewhat of a hero in the final few minutes of the film. Edith Barrett, who was used by Lewton in other films, makes a limited appearance as the captain's inamorata. Look for Lawrence Tierney, future Hollywood bad boy, as a target of the captain's revenge.
Val Lewton was the master of atmospheric films made on a limited budget and he doesn't miss with this one. It's a dandy!!
Well written, dark, tense and atmospheric film that was much better than I expected
bob the moo16 July 2005
Tom Merriam takes a job as the Third Officer on the cargo ship The Altair. Despite a strange interaction with a blind man in port, things look good for Tom as the ship appears good and the Captain is amiable enough. Finding that his bed is still a mess from when the last Third died there is a little disturbing but he gets past it and begins to work. When the Captain puts lives at risk rather than be seen to have his authority questioned by Merriam, Tom starts to worry that the Captain is living within his own head too much a worry reinforced when more men and put at risk and deaths are caused; but how can he change things? Apparently commissioned because RKO had an expensive ship set knocking around that they wanted to get more use out of, this film is surprisingly enjoyable and works because it tries to shun melodrama and be something much more interesting. This is not to say it totally does this, because it doesn't, but it does have plenty of good things about it. The story is fairly standard in appearance but the Captain's "madness" is convincing and realistic he is not a gibbering loon but rather a man who appears to have lost touch with reality thanks to a lonely and sad life to date. Within this story the script develops the characters well so that they rise above being the stock figures of b-movie fare. With a low key story, the production still really goes for it on atmosphere and produces an air of foreboding and menace that is present from the very start. Shadows are well used, fog drifts over the decks and the music is constantly moving darkly in the background menacing without ever being overused or overbearing.
The cast do very well with this product. Wade was surprisingly good in the lead and it made me wonder why I have never knowingly seen him in anything else. He was a pretty regular guy and came off natural rather than being the square-jawed hero that is often the norm. He plays second fiddle to Dix though, who sets up a strangely friendly character who convincingly moves into a sort of madness that is convincing. He avoids being a monster and naturally questions himself while also producing a character that we feel for Dix is not just a "baddie" to Wade's "goodie". Barrett is so-so but the film didn't need her and her scene slows the film by taking it off the ship albeit briefly. Support is good from Glover, Overall an enjoyable film that produces the goods on many levels and is much better than I thought it was going to be. The plot seems simple but the writing respect the audience and makes the story more interesting than the usual goodie/baddie fare. The atmospheric and tense production only helps to produce a punchy, mysterious film that is well worth seeing even if the ending needed to be a bit stronger and darker but this is a minor flaw.
The cast do very well with this product. Wade was surprisingly good in the lead and it made me wonder why I have never knowingly seen him in anything else. He was a pretty regular guy and came off natural rather than being the square-jawed hero that is often the norm. He plays second fiddle to Dix though, who sets up a strangely friendly character who convincingly moves into a sort of madness that is convincing. He avoids being a monster and naturally questions himself while also producing a character that we feel for Dix is not just a "baddie" to Wade's "goodie". Barrett is so-so but the film didn't need her and her scene slows the film by taking it off the ship albeit briefly. Support is good from Glover, Overall an enjoyable film that produces the goods on many levels and is much better than I thought it was going to be. The plot seems simple but the writing respect the audience and makes the story more interesting than the usual goodie/baddie fare. The atmospheric and tense production only helps to produce a punchy, mysterious film that is well worth seeing even if the ending needed to be a bit stronger and darker but this is a minor flaw.
A Rebellion Against "Authority"
ccthemovieman-131 March 2006
This was pretty good entry in the Val Lewton Horror Collection, even though it's anything but "horror." This film is a straight drama, almost a film noir about a paranoid sea captain (Richard Dix) who eliminates anyone who disagrees with his "authority," a key word in this movie.
Russell Wade is the captain's protégé, and the story really centers around him and the conflict he has with his boss after he begins to find out what a violent nutcase he happens to be. Along the way, it was noteworthy to see Lawrence Tierney play one of the captain's victims.
Also good was Jacob "Sparks" Winslow as the ship's radio operator. This is an involving film as we root for Wade to expose this captain and to convince others that the man with the "authority" is an evil person.
Russell Wade is the captain's protégé, and the story really centers around him and the conflict he has with his boss after he begins to find out what a violent nutcase he happens to be. Along the way, it was noteworthy to see Lawrence Tierney play one of the captain's victims.
Also good was Jacob "Sparks" Winslow as the ship's radio operator. This is an involving film as we root for Wade to expose this captain and to convince others that the man with the "authority" is an evil person.
Little known movie produced by the great Val Lewton and compellingly directed by Mark Robson
ma-cortes27 September 2005
The picture deals with Tom (Russell Wade), a third officer who embarks on the ship Altair under command the stiff Captain Stone (Richard Dix) . Strange deaths of crew seamen originate confrontation among different personalities : a distrustful officer and a tough captain obsessed with authority .
Tension and suspense are continued and appear menacing and lurking in cabins , stairs , docks and pier . The movie has the expressionist Germanic atmosphere ; besides , being reflected in the captain's bizarre and quirky interpretation . Cinematographer Nicholas Musuruca (Cat people and Stranger on third floor) creates a magnificent camera-work , along with John Alton are the essential artificers of Noir cinema atmosphere . Cinematography is excellent , dark and lights are originating eerie and creepy scenarios . The film is produced by RKO (Radio Picture Inc.) and by Val Lewton , the great producer of horror classics (Cat people , Leopard man , I walked with a zombie) ; plus , he produced for director Mark Robson various movies (Bedlan , Isle of the dead and Seventh victim) in similar conditions . Habitual RKO musician , Roy Webb , composes an atmospheric score with the usual musical director Bakaleinikoff . Good production design in charge of Albert D'Agostino . RKO had built an expensive ship set for their 1938 production Pacific Liner (1939) , Val Lewton was given instructions to come up with a film that could use the still existing set . The motion picture well well directed by Mark Robson . The picture will appeal to classic cinema buffs.
Tension and suspense are continued and appear menacing and lurking in cabins , stairs , docks and pier . The movie has the expressionist Germanic atmosphere ; besides , being reflected in the captain's bizarre and quirky interpretation . Cinematographer Nicholas Musuruca (Cat people and Stranger on third floor) creates a magnificent camera-work , along with John Alton are the essential artificers of Noir cinema atmosphere . Cinematography is excellent , dark and lights are originating eerie and creepy scenarios . The film is produced by RKO (Radio Picture Inc.) and by Val Lewton , the great producer of horror classics (Cat people , Leopard man , I walked with a zombie) ; plus , he produced for director Mark Robson various movies (Bedlan , Isle of the dead and Seventh victim) in similar conditions . Habitual RKO musician , Roy Webb , composes an atmospheric score with the usual musical director Bakaleinikoff . Good production design in charge of Albert D'Agostino . RKO had built an expensive ship set for their 1938 production Pacific Liner (1939) , Val Lewton was given instructions to come up with a film that could use the still existing set . The motion picture well well directed by Mark Robson . The picture will appeal to classic cinema buffs.
Chasing the Figurative White Whale to the Ends of the Earth
BaronBl00d5 November 2005
Director Mark Robson and producer Val Lewton team up one more time for this interesting film that surprisingly has nothing at all to do with ghosts or any other supernatural phenomena. Russel Wade takes his new officer position aboard a boat under the control of Captain Richard Dix. Dix outwardly seems gentle and benign but slowly dissipates into a mad man obsessed with his control aboard the ship. Obsessed to the point of killing. Though not what you might initially expect, this film is very effectively done. Wade and Dix both do splendid jobs assaying their respective roles. Dix in particular shows depth of character that manages to not seem one-dimensional. The life on the ship seems very real, and we the audience are lassoed into the trip that begins peaceful and ends in a tempest of turmoil. Robson, under Lewton's watchful eyes, creates suspense and tension while using virtually no budget and little action. There are some obvious corollaries made to Moby Dick. The blind soothsayer at the beginning of the journey foretelling doom ahead for the voyage. The young, new man with little real-life experience as the protagonist, and a captain bent on chasing his own white whale - his meaningless existence on the big sea as he clutches for the only thing within his grasp. A fine, thoughtful examination of life at sea when office politics turn bad.
Minimalist paranoid thriller
drownsoda909 February 2017
"The Ghost Ship" has Russell Wade as a naval captain, Tom, who boards a ship in San Pedro, only to find that something seems odd about the captain, Will Stone. Strange occurrences plague his time on the sea, and soon Tom becomes convinced that the captain is a homicidal maniac who has the entire crew under his thumb.
This downbeat and tightly-written psychological thriller was Mark Robson's second collaboration with producer Val Lewton, the first being the phenomenal Satanic horror noir "The Seventh Victim". This film feels lighter in tone than the former and packs a bit less of a punch— it is free from the nihilistic streak of "The Seventh Victim," though it still implements a fair amount of commentary on matters such as the nature of authority and questions about power. The more philosophical bits of dialogue feel somewhat hokey, though they are relatively few and far between.
Looked at from a contemporary standpoint, it's a film that may have been ahead of its time, as it stands as an early example of the "paranoid protagonist" trope, in which the audience comes to question the reliability of the character's potentially unfounded fears about a person or place. As Tom's fears of the captain and his wielding of power grow, the reliability of his perspective is called into question; Robson screenwriter Donald Clarke play up this tension magnificently. Wade is a solid sympathetic protagonist, while Richard Dix is fittingly aloof. The dialogue between the two ranges from somewhat weak to fantastic, but in general, they play off one another nicely.
The film has a thrilling, unexpectedly violent and grim finale, which punctuates what is overall a mellow psychological drama. Overall, "The Ghost Ship" is a modest but well-made thriller; while it's not one of Lewton's greatest collaborations, it's a claustrophobic, fine film that is lifted up by atmospheric set pieces, some very nicely-orchestrate scenes, and a consistent feeling of unrelenting paranoia. 7/10.
This downbeat and tightly-written psychological thriller was Mark Robson's second collaboration with producer Val Lewton, the first being the phenomenal Satanic horror noir "The Seventh Victim". This film feels lighter in tone than the former and packs a bit less of a punch— it is free from the nihilistic streak of "The Seventh Victim," though it still implements a fair amount of commentary on matters such as the nature of authority and questions about power. The more philosophical bits of dialogue feel somewhat hokey, though they are relatively few and far between.
Looked at from a contemporary standpoint, it's a film that may have been ahead of its time, as it stands as an early example of the "paranoid protagonist" trope, in which the audience comes to question the reliability of the character's potentially unfounded fears about a person or place. As Tom's fears of the captain and his wielding of power grow, the reliability of his perspective is called into question; Robson screenwriter Donald Clarke play up this tension magnificently. Wade is a solid sympathetic protagonist, while Richard Dix is fittingly aloof. The dialogue between the two ranges from somewhat weak to fantastic, but in general, they play off one another nicely.
The film has a thrilling, unexpectedly violent and grim finale, which punctuates what is overall a mellow psychological drama. Overall, "The Ghost Ship" is a modest but well-made thriller; while it's not one of Lewton's greatest collaborations, it's a claustrophobic, fine film that is lifted up by atmospheric set pieces, some very nicely-orchestrate scenes, and a consistent feeling of unrelenting paranoia. 7/10.
A Lesser Known Lewton Production That is Brilliant
Handlinghandel13 October 2003
I had never heard of this Val Lewton production till it recently showed up on television. Yet, as directed by Mark Robson, it is one of Lewton's very best.
Russell Wade as the young sailor who is menaced by mentally off-balance captain Richard Dix is handsome and very persuasive. What happened to this actor? I had never heard of him before, either.
The movie has a marvelously eerie, foreboding quality that is maintained throughout, from the blind soothsayer we see before Tom Merriam (Wade) boards the ship, through the sea chanteys, Caribbean songs, the heroic mute sailor.
I generally shy away from all-male casts but in this case, the claustrophobic nature of the plot would have been maintained better had it not been "opened out," albeit briefly, with the scene onshore involving the third billed admirer of Dix.
(Her friend, whom we see greeting Wade at the end in silhouette, is a plot device to imply a happy ending. This is OK because the damage to our nerves has already been done. Dix has already had several of his crew killed and has almost succeeded in doing away with Wade.)
Russell Wade as the young sailor who is menaced by mentally off-balance captain Richard Dix is handsome and very persuasive. What happened to this actor? I had never heard of him before, either.
The movie has a marvelously eerie, foreboding quality that is maintained throughout, from the blind soothsayer we see before Tom Merriam (Wade) boards the ship, through the sea chanteys, Caribbean songs, the heroic mute sailor.
I generally shy away from all-male casts but in this case, the claustrophobic nature of the plot would have been maintained better had it not been "opened out," albeit briefly, with the scene onshore involving the third billed admirer of Dix.
(Her friend, whom we see greeting Wade at the end in silhouette, is a plot device to imply a happy ending. This is OK because the damage to our nerves has already been done. Dix has already had several of his crew killed and has almost succeeded in doing away with Wade.)
The third mate
jotix10024 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Captain Will Stone, the skipper of a merchant ship, is not the man he appears to be. Tom Merriam, the new third mate hired for the voyage at the center of the story, is an eager man who feels lucky to be serving in a ship where all the men seem to be loyal to the captain. As the trip starts, Tom starts noticing how Captain Stone is undermining his role on board and has the crew turn against him.
Sparks, the radio operator, has welcomed Tom and is eager for his friendship. When things start going badly for the new man, Sparks turns away from his friend, until he understands who the real bad guy is on the ship. It's a surprise that Finn, "the mute", is the only one that comes to help him when everything had indicated he was with the rest of the crew.
Mark Robson directed a film that in 69 minutes tells a compelling story and holds our attention. The script by Donald Henderson Clarke has some interesting elements in it. This was part of Val Lewton's legacy at RKO in the early 1940s where he was hired to create films that were part of a horror trend at the studio. The evocative cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca works wonders in the movie.
Richard Dix, a talented actor, plays the evil Captain Stone with his usual ease. He was a man that evidently could be seen as good or bad, always making the most out of his roles. Russell Wade plays the eager younger third mate, who finds himself in the middle of a situation he didn't create in which everyone on board turns against him because of the loyalty to the evil Stone. Skelton Knaggs, makes the most of his Finn, the mute.
Mark Robson's take on the film makes a satisfying picture that should be seen more often. The film had its share of problems when it was first released, but it's worth a look. It speaks well of what Val Lewton was trying to do at RKO at the time.
Sparks, the radio operator, has welcomed Tom and is eager for his friendship. When things start going badly for the new man, Sparks turns away from his friend, until he understands who the real bad guy is on the ship. It's a surprise that Finn, "the mute", is the only one that comes to help him when everything had indicated he was with the rest of the crew.
Mark Robson directed a film that in 69 minutes tells a compelling story and holds our attention. The script by Donald Henderson Clarke has some interesting elements in it. This was part of Val Lewton's legacy at RKO in the early 1940s where he was hired to create films that were part of a horror trend at the studio. The evocative cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca works wonders in the movie.
Richard Dix, a talented actor, plays the evil Captain Stone with his usual ease. He was a man that evidently could be seen as good or bad, always making the most out of his roles. Russell Wade plays the eager younger third mate, who finds himself in the middle of a situation he didn't create in which everyone on board turns against him because of the loyalty to the evil Stone. Skelton Knaggs, makes the most of his Finn, the mute.
Mark Robson's take on the film makes a satisfying picture that should be seen more often. The film had its share of problems when it was first released, but it's worth a look. It speaks well of what Val Lewton was trying to do at RKO at the time.
Ghosty!
BandSAboutMovies7 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This was a lost Val Lewton movie for some time. That's because the producer was sued for plagiarism by playwrights Samuel R. Golding and Norbert Faulkner, who claimed that they had submitted a script of this story to him as a possible movie. As a result, the film was taken out of theaters and not shown for fifty years, at which point it became available in the public domain. The whole affair deeply upset Lewton for a long period of time.
Tom Merriam (Russell Wade) is a young merchant marine officer new to the ship Altair. He bonds with Captain William Stone (Richard Dix), even as the ship begins to lose crew members. The captain starts to seem weak at best - unable to save a man with an emergency appendectomy until Tom covers for him - and murderous at worst - crushing another crewmember named Louie (Lawrence Tierney!) who spoke against him.
Merriam quickly realizes that the captain has gone insane, but he has an entire crew on his side and thre may be no way for him to survive. Even when our hero tries to save the men by pointing out the captain's madness, they continue to take his side.
Using the fictional island of San Sebastian from I Walked with a Zombie and much of Lewton's stock company like Ben Bard, Sir Lancelot and Edith Barrett, this is another example of his lean films. Director Mark Robson also was behind another one of my favorite Lewton films, The Seventh Victim.
Tom Merriam (Russell Wade) is a young merchant marine officer new to the ship Altair. He bonds with Captain William Stone (Richard Dix), even as the ship begins to lose crew members. The captain starts to seem weak at best - unable to save a man with an emergency appendectomy until Tom covers for him - and murderous at worst - crushing another crewmember named Louie (Lawrence Tierney!) who spoke against him.
Merriam quickly realizes that the captain has gone insane, but he has an entire crew on his side and thre may be no way for him to survive. Even when our hero tries to save the men by pointing out the captain's madness, they continue to take his side.
Using the fictional island of San Sebastian from I Walked with a Zombie and much of Lewton's stock company like Ben Bard, Sir Lancelot and Edith Barrett, this is another example of his lean films. Director Mark Robson also was behind another one of my favorite Lewton films, The Seventh Victim.
Creepy craftsman-ship!
Coventry4 July 2005
Perhaps not as mesmerizing as "Cat People" or as disturbing as "The Body Snatcher", but this still definitely is a genuinely creepy golden oldie horror gem like only the great Val Lewton could produce them back in the 1940's. This dark and atmospheric chiller takes us aboard a giant ship in order to examine the mysterious deaths of several crew members. They all seem like unfortunate accidents, but pretty soon the young and ambitious officer Tom Merriam suspects that Captain Will Stone abuses his power in order to get rid of rebellious personnel. The film is terrifically cut in half when the ship sets ashore and Merriam prosecutes the influential and highly respected captain. From then on, the nemesis between the two is frighteningly illustrated and a drama on-board the ship seems inevitable. Richard Dix is outstanding as the tormented Captain Will Stone! He looks naturally eerie and definitely not man to argue with. The black and white photography is stunning and the constantly sung sailor-song will remain stuck in your head, even long after you finished watching the movie. The Val Lewton horror of course isn't very explicit (considering the time and budget) but this movie does contain at least one truly unsettling sequence; when a giant chain crushes a crew member. My advise is to watch this classic as soon as you can, if it were only for the ultra-eerie mute in the supportive cast!
Not Lewton's best film, but a good exhibition of eerie atmosphere
The_Void4 July 2005
The Ghost Ship was put together because RKO pictures wanted another film to be made using the existing sets from their earlier film, Pacific Liner. This shows somewhat, as the film has something of a rushed and unfinished feel to it; but there's nobody better than Val Lewton for the task of putting together an eerie thriller, and considering the reasons why this was made; he hasn't done a bad job at all. The film isn't up there with his best work - films such as Cat People, I Walked With a Zombie and The Body Snatcher - but I still rate this as a successful production credit for the man, and as an eerie sea bound thriller; it definitely works. The plot is simple (probably as a result of the reason that the film was made) and it follows a ship whose third mate suspects that the captain may be the one murdering the crew, some members of which have been dying under mysterious circumstances. We then follow a familiar psychological drama formula, which is fleshed out by some set pieces typical of Lewton's films.
The atmosphere, as usual with Lewton, is right on cue and makes up the backbone of the movie. The smoky setting compliments the isolation of being at sea nicely, and the film always seems interesting and foreboding for this reason. The story is weak and somewhat dull for the first half hour of the movie - and this is somewhat due to the lack in atmosphere. The first half does treat us to the film's best set-piece - a man being crushed by a huge chain (no less!) - but you'll have to wait until the second half before the movie really picks up. As you would expect from Lewton, the film is never gratuitous, but during the second half the story starts to pick up, and as the tension mounts, director Mark Robson allows the film to reach it's climatic conclusion. Mark Robson isn't the best director that Lewton worked with - and all of his movies have been lesser entries in the great producer's list of film credits, but he knows what he's doing and this is another decent film from him. On the whole - you'll probably want to see the Jacques Tourneur collaborations, along with The Body Snatcher first - but after you've seen those, this is a good place to go next.
The atmosphere, as usual with Lewton, is right on cue and makes up the backbone of the movie. The smoky setting compliments the isolation of being at sea nicely, and the film always seems interesting and foreboding for this reason. The story is weak and somewhat dull for the first half hour of the movie - and this is somewhat due to the lack in atmosphere. The first half does treat us to the film's best set-piece - a man being crushed by a huge chain (no less!) - but you'll have to wait until the second half before the movie really picks up. As you would expect from Lewton, the film is never gratuitous, but during the second half the story starts to pick up, and as the tension mounts, director Mark Robson allows the film to reach it's climatic conclusion. Mark Robson isn't the best director that Lewton worked with - and all of his movies have been lesser entries in the great producer's list of film credits, but he knows what he's doing and this is another decent film from him. On the whole - you'll probably want to see the Jacques Tourneur collaborations, along with The Body Snatcher first - but after you've seen those, this is a good place to go next.
Watchable enough early 40's psychological thriller.
poolandrews3 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
The Ghost Ship starts with a blind beggar (Alec Craig) dishing out some advice to the new fresh, just out of training school 3rd Officer of the cargo ship Altair named Thomas Merriam (Russell Wade) who gives him some loose change for his trouble & boards the Altair for the first time. On board he introduces himself to Capatin Will Stone (Richard Dix), they both seem to get on well & like each other. Tom is informed that the 2nd Officer suddenly died in his cabin but not to worry about it. At first things go well but it soon becomes clear to Tom that Captain Stone is very authoritative & dislikes anybody questioning him or trying to make trouble, just like a crewman named Louie (a young Lawrence Tierney's first film) who tries to tell the Captain how to do his job. Shortly after this incident Louie is involved in an accident which proves fatal, although Tom has his suspicions that it might not have been an accident & that Captain Stone may have been responsible. Tom has a moral dilemma, does he report his Captain & friend or keep quiet? Tom tells the 1st Officer Mr. Bowns (Ben Bard) who doesn't believe him, neither does his friend Sparks (Edmund Glover) the radio operator or the rest of the crew. Tom is on his own & stuck out at sea with the increasingly unstable Captain Stone...
Produced by Val Lewton & directed by Mark Robson I thought The Ghost Ship was sort of OK but a bit dull & uneventful as well. The Ghost Ship is a bit of a misleading title as it's not a horror film although one could easily argue that it has horror overtones & themes but instead I would describe it more of a chilling psychological thriller & I suspect the title The Ghost Ship was a bit of a marketing device. The script by Donald Henderson Clarke makes it painfully obvious that the Captain is responsible for everything that's going on so there's no mystery element at all which I feel hurts the film badly as it's fairly easy to guess where it's going. Captain Stone isn't given a motive or much of a background as to why he was going mad as sorts & I found it hard to be bothered with where The Ghost Ship was going (no pun intended!). It's reasonably well paced & the story is interesting enough but didn't captivate me like I thought it should have, I didn't really care for any of the characters most of whom are bit part players & not developed beyond the fact that their sailor's. Technically the film is OK for the period, the black & white cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca is basic & a bit static but fine anyway, the sets look OK but when someone shouts it echos which makes it painfully obvious that we're on a sound-stage somewhere (the supposedly expensive sets are from RKO's Pacific Liner (1938) which they presumably didn't want to waste) & the back projected sea looks pretty fake as well. I found the acting to be somewhat wooden from most of the cast but Dix as Captain Stone put in a decent performance. Overall I don't quite see why The Ghost Ship is held in such regard, I found it mildly entertaining but since the script makes it perfectly clear what's going on & who's doing it I just sat there waiting for the inevitable climax. There's nothing massively wrong with The Ghost Ship but it didn't do much for me, worth a watch but nothing else. Oh, & I wish I could meet a woman who sets me up with her younger sister after one conversation...
Produced by Val Lewton & directed by Mark Robson I thought The Ghost Ship was sort of OK but a bit dull & uneventful as well. The Ghost Ship is a bit of a misleading title as it's not a horror film although one could easily argue that it has horror overtones & themes but instead I would describe it more of a chilling psychological thriller & I suspect the title The Ghost Ship was a bit of a marketing device. The script by Donald Henderson Clarke makes it painfully obvious that the Captain is responsible for everything that's going on so there's no mystery element at all which I feel hurts the film badly as it's fairly easy to guess where it's going. Captain Stone isn't given a motive or much of a background as to why he was going mad as sorts & I found it hard to be bothered with where The Ghost Ship was going (no pun intended!). It's reasonably well paced & the story is interesting enough but didn't captivate me like I thought it should have, I didn't really care for any of the characters most of whom are bit part players & not developed beyond the fact that their sailor's. Technically the film is OK for the period, the black & white cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca is basic & a bit static but fine anyway, the sets look OK but when someone shouts it echos which makes it painfully obvious that we're on a sound-stage somewhere (the supposedly expensive sets are from RKO's Pacific Liner (1938) which they presumably didn't want to waste) & the back projected sea looks pretty fake as well. I found the acting to be somewhat wooden from most of the cast but Dix as Captain Stone put in a decent performance. Overall I don't quite see why The Ghost Ship is held in such regard, I found it mildly entertaining but since the script makes it perfectly clear what's going on & who's doing it I just sat there waiting for the inevitable climax. There's nothing massively wrong with The Ghost Ship but it didn't do much for me, worth a watch but nothing else. Oh, & I wish I could meet a woman who sets me up with her younger sister after one conversation...
Brief review
boris-265 November 1998
The rarest of the Val Lewton horror films. Exceptional chiller about a much beloved Sea Captain (Richard Dix) slowly going mad. What makes the film stand out are a few key scenes- an anchor blindly swings above the deck, crushing portions of the boat while frightened sailors try to stop it- Dix locking a man in a room sized container for the anchor chain- Dix and a very unlikely hero having a bloody knife fight in the dark while unsuspecting sailors play Calypso music not far away. Not up there with Lewton's "Cat People", or "Seventh Victim", but a good horror classic nevertheless.
Pleasantly creepy
marcslope19 October 2017
Efficient little RKO suspense B, with Val Lewton producing and loads of fog, has third mate Russell Wade discovering that Captain Richard Dix is nuts and murderous, and can't convince any of his fellow crew of that. A young Mark Robson directs carefully, building the suspense slowly and efficiently, and one does spend a lot of the movie wondering what new threat is around the corner on deck. Dix is fine, declaiming some man-and-superman philosophy that must have resonated in wartime and still does, and Wade has an everyman appeal that makes us sympathize with his plight. It's over rather abruptly, and the happy-ish ending isn't altogether convincing, but if you want to see what a well-produced, atmospheric B looked like in 1943, here's an excellent example.
Who does not heed the rudder shall meet the rock
utgard1429 December 2013
Lesser-known Val Lewton film is engrossing, suspenseful story about a young man (Russell Wade) that signs up with a merchant ship whose obsessive captain (Richard Dix) may be going crazy. Fifth Lewton film at RKO is not quite a horror film but instead a psychological thriller. Despite not being a horror film or having any supernatural elements, it still has lots of spooky scenes and shadowy atmosphere. It also has Lewton's trademark plot ambiguity, this time surrounding the captain's intentions throughout the story. The first half of the film nicely builds up to the tense second half. Great performances by Wade and especially Dix. Quite possibly my favorite Richard Dix role. Also a memorably creepy performance by Skelton Knaggs as a mute. This is a very underrated film. Well directed by Mark Robson with fine performances all around. Definitely check it out.
Thriller at sea
bkoganbing31 August 2014
Talk about atmospheric thriller, Val Lewton with a fairly unknown cast and a leading man whose box office days are behind him came up with a gem of a thriller at sea. The Ghost Ship stars Richard Dix as the captain of the freighter Altair and Russell Wade as his eager new third officer who sees some distinct flaws in the man whom he admired and was eager to serve under.
On his first voyage some deaths among the crew start Wade thinking, but his doubts are resolved when Nick Stuart a happy go lucky Greek is killed when he's locked in an anchor chain room. It could only be deliberate and it could only be Dix.
The Ghost Ship is a combination of Eugene O'Neill and Edgar Allan Poe in its conception. The camaraderie and dialog among the crew is like something out of The Long Voyage Home. The sea is a great equalizer in the crew. The captain may be Lord and Master, but in the crew all are equal. Note the part played by black actor Sir Lancelot which is a rarity of Hollywood at the time. He's from Trinidad and he's an equal in this company. Very rare for 1943.
But Dix has let the whole Lord and Master thing goes to his head. Quite clear in his scenes with Wade as Wade starts to suspect. The rest of the crew, dare not even if they think it in the deepest parts of their souls. Mutiny is a hanging offense..
Wonderful atmosphere, great performances as Val Lewton gets the most out of the limited budgets he had.
On his first voyage some deaths among the crew start Wade thinking, but his doubts are resolved when Nick Stuart a happy go lucky Greek is killed when he's locked in an anchor chain room. It could only be deliberate and it could only be Dix.
The Ghost Ship is a combination of Eugene O'Neill and Edgar Allan Poe in its conception. The camaraderie and dialog among the crew is like something out of The Long Voyage Home. The sea is a great equalizer in the crew. The captain may be Lord and Master, but in the crew all are equal. Note the part played by black actor Sir Lancelot which is a rarity of Hollywood at the time. He's from Trinidad and he's an equal in this company. Very rare for 1943.
But Dix has let the whole Lord and Master thing goes to his head. Quite clear in his scenes with Wade as Wade starts to suspect. The rest of the crew, dare not even if they think it in the deepest parts of their souls. Mutiny is a hanging offense..
Wonderful atmosphere, great performances as Val Lewton gets the most out of the limited budgets he had.
He who does not heed the rudder shall meet the rock
nickenchuggets15 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
While I feel I got duped into watching this movie as it was made by Val Lewton (but isn't really horror oriented), it's about time I started discussing his films again. Lewton had the ability to make great movies even on shoestring budgets, and was part of the elite when it came to making the most out of what he had at hand. The Ghost Ship is a good instance of this, even if its lack of supernatural elements wasn't what I was expecting from him. This movie follows Tom Merriam (Russell Wade), a soon to be officer on a ship called the Altair, commanded by Captain Stone (Richard Dix). During Merriam's first talk with the captain, he learns that the latter values authority above everything and is a rigid follower of hierarchy and order, explaining that he holds the fate of everyone onboard in his hands. Later on, the ship almost loses a crew member because he develops appendicitis, and Stone is tasked with surgically fixing him. Stone is afraid he might accidentally kill the person, so he gets Merriam to do it. Merriam doesn't tell anyone Stone didn't remove the appendix. The crew gets a taste of Stone's ruthlessness when he intentionally locks the door to the chain locker while a crew mate named Louie is still inside. When the anchor chain is pulled in, he is crushed to death by it. Merriam is certain Stone did this on purpose because he hated Louie and goes to confront him about it. When the ship docks in the Caribbean, Merriam reports the incident but all the other crew members speak up in defense of Stone. This incident causes the crew to dislike Merriam and Stone has a vendetta against him now. Merriam decides to leave the crew permanently, but is involved in a fight and knocked out. Someone who doesn't know he's no longer part of the crew puts him back on the Altair. Merriam is now stuck on a ship with a captain he is convinced is a murderer, and he's worried he is next. He tries getting the crew to help him, but they all turn their backs. The ship's radio operator Winslow later gets a message asking if Merriam is on the ship, and Stone tells him to say he isn't. Winslow is now on Merriam's side against Stone, but as Winslow leaves Merriam's cabin, he encounters the captain outside. He drops the message on the deck and it is picked up by a mute crew mate named Finn. Some time later, Stone approaches Merriam and asks him to send a message to an office saying Winslow has been knocked over the side of the ship. Merriam calls the captain a liar and says he killed Winslow on purpose and is now trying to cover it up. Stone has his men restrain Merriam and inject him with a sleep inducing drug. Finn shows the message to the first officer, and word spreads that the captain is insane. While the crew is out on the deck singing one night, Stone sneaks into Merriam's cabin with a huge knife and is about to stab him to death, but is attacked by Finn, who has a knife of his own. The two men fight and Finn manages to kill Stone. The Altair then sails back to its home of San Pedro and Merriam disembarks. Having seen a few other films Lewton produced already, I was quite impressed with this one, but it's probably my least favorite of the ones I've seen already. I wasn't expecting it to be noir-like and it doesn't even have one of the hallmarks of that genre; a dangerous female character. In fact, I think there's only 1 woman in this movie (if you don't count the unseen one that meets Merriam at the end) and it's someone to whom Stone confides his insecurities regarding his mental state. She could have been removed from the film and it wouldn't have changed a thing. Dix's performance as Stone reminds me a lot of Edward G Robinson in The Sea Wolf, in which he too plays a brutal ship captain who abuses the men under him. An interesting fact about this movie has to do with its backstory. When it was about to be released, Lewton was sued by a pair of playwrights who said his script for this movie bore an uncanny resemblance to something they put out. Despite Lewton saying he didn't even read the script for the play they had sent him and thus couldn't have known about it, courts sided with the playwrights and RKO pulled the movie out of theaters. Eventually in the 90s, this film was made public domain and you can now watch it. The copy of it that I own is part of a box set of discs which also include such classics as Cat People and I Walked With a Zombie. Unfortunately, the disc that has this movie is glitched for me and won't start (DVDs in a nutshell). Overall, I liked The Ghost Ship and it wasn't overly long either, but I still think Lewton has done better tales of horror than this.
"You know, there are some captains who would hold this against you."
Hey_Sweden24 January 2016
Tasked by RKO Studios to take advantage of a previously existing set, producer Val Lewton came up with this pensive, interesting mood piece & character study, set on a ship. The Altair is commandeered by a captain named Will Stone (Richard Dix). Stone has just hired a young Third Officer, Tom Merriam (Russell Wade), and at first they have a good father-son type relationship going on. But Stone continuously shows signs of instability to the young man, who comes to believe his captain - who fixates on the idea of "authority" - is capable of murder.
While not quite as thickly atmospheric as the best Lewton productions, this is a deliberately paced, fairly spooky little gem. Key to its success is its memorable central character, and performance by Dix. There are scenes where he is humanized and you can take some pity on him. It's easy to see that he's a lonely man who lives only for command. Wade also makes his role sympathetic, and the battle of wills between these two men is effective. All of the men on the crew stand behind their captain and don't want to believe the worst about him, so for a while Tom seems to be all on his own.
Extremely moody black & white cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca is a heavy asset, and the final third contains some palpable suspense. The film also benefits from efficient direction by Mark Robson, and an intriguing, seemingly minor character named Finn. Played by sharp featured character actor Skelton Knaggs, he's a mute, so he says nothing...but he observes a lot. The supporting cast is all fine: Edith Barrett in the only substantial female presence, as a woman who tries to understand Stone, Ben Bard as the first officer, and the highly engaging Edmund Glover as Sparks, the radio man. Alec Craig, Boyd Davis, Sir Lancelot, and Dewey Robinson are solid in uncredited roles, as is a young Lawrence Tierney as ill fated seaman Louie Parker.
The conclusion IS a little abrupt, but it does little to diminish the impact of this film.
Eight out of 10.
While not quite as thickly atmospheric as the best Lewton productions, this is a deliberately paced, fairly spooky little gem. Key to its success is its memorable central character, and performance by Dix. There are scenes where he is humanized and you can take some pity on him. It's easy to see that he's a lonely man who lives only for command. Wade also makes his role sympathetic, and the battle of wills between these two men is effective. All of the men on the crew stand behind their captain and don't want to believe the worst about him, so for a while Tom seems to be all on his own.
Extremely moody black & white cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca is a heavy asset, and the final third contains some palpable suspense. The film also benefits from efficient direction by Mark Robson, and an intriguing, seemingly minor character named Finn. Played by sharp featured character actor Skelton Knaggs, he's a mute, so he says nothing...but he observes a lot. The supporting cast is all fine: Edith Barrett in the only substantial female presence, as a woman who tries to understand Stone, Ben Bard as the first officer, and the highly engaging Edmund Glover as Sparks, the radio man. Alec Craig, Boyd Davis, Sir Lancelot, and Dewey Robinson are solid in uncredited roles, as is a young Lawrence Tierney as ill fated seaman Louie Parker.
The conclusion IS a little abrupt, but it does little to diminish the impact of this film.
Eight out of 10.
Interesting downer
deke-1416 August 2006
This is an interesting if not ground-breaking movie. The usual Lewton themes of outside control of an individuals' actions; Captain Stone says at one point "I feel as though I was being controlled by some outside force" can be compared to the plight of Irina in 'Cat People'. Another Lewtonian theme explored in 'Ghost Ship' is fear of sexual entrapment. Captain Stone really goes off the deep end when his formally 'safe' girlfriend announces that her divorce is final. Once again, Irina is afraid of sex due to her 'animal' nature. There is a sombre, downer mood to this picture and while not as atmospheric as other Lewton vehicles, disturbing all the same. TCM has run this recently but I don't know about video availability.
Weakest of the Val Lewton "classics"
dbborroughs5 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Richard Dix is the mad captain in one of the series of horror films that Val Lewton produced. Difficult, if not impossible to see (I purchased several other films over the years trying to get this) it was recently released on DVD as part of a box set of the Lewton horror films (soon to be released with a new documentary). The plot has a junior officer realizing that the Captain is mad and then having to do something about it. As one of my Holy Grail films over the years I've always wanted to see it. I picked up the box set and then sat down to watch it on a number of occasions and I was always called away. A warning? I hope not, but I do know that now having finally see the film I find it absolutely terrible. There is no atmosphere and no sense of terror. Its a movie and a pretty bad one at that. I'm partly blaming the director Mark Robson, who worked with Lewton on other films in the series (7th victim, Isle of the Dead and Bedlam) which were quite good. I'm also Blaming Russell Wade as Tom our hero. He looks the part but is so wishy washy and ineffectual that its no wonder that he made over 50 movies prior to this most of which he was not credited for. He's so bad that you can't imagine him standing up to anyone for anything. He wrecks what could have at least been an okay movie. A bust.
Val Lewton's Masterpiece with Richard Dix and Skelton Knaggs
kaliningrad-8734512 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The Ghost Ship is Val Lewton's masterpiece with a cast that you would not find today.Richard Dix as the unhinged captain had me scared.You could feel the buildup in his ever increasing rage and paranoia.The scary part is that it was not overt, but covert.Mr.Skelton Knaggs as the mute Finn is the character that I liked the best.Skelton has a physical presence that resembles a skulking panther.He has a penetrating gaze that oozes mystery.I do not want to give the plot away,so I will skirt around the edges.The Ghost Ship is a wonderful suspense thriller that to me is up there with Gaslight with Charles Boyer, and the Picture of Dorian Gray with Hurd Hatfield.The Ghost Ship is an underrated unknown delicious treat for lovers of the so called B movie.The Ghost Ship is anything but a B picture.Richard Dix was fun as the Whistler,but he is downright masterful in this picture, and so is Skelton Knaggs.Take a chance and give yourself an excursion into Val Lewton's The Ghost Ship.
My brief review of the film
sol-1 November 2005
An appropriately dark and atmospheric piece of psychological horror, it has some interesting philosophies and a sense of the foreboding throughout, making it a rather intriguing watch. The plot is quite simple though, and there is not much in the way of characters either, with an odd selection of narrator - one who provides eerie but ultimately meaningless narration. The film is also concluded too speedily, without satisfying wrapping everything up. Still, it is rather fascinating viewing, and for the most part quite good - there is a fair amount of interesting elements. Richard Dix, at the very least, plays his character brilliantly.
Caught in the doldrums
tomsview18 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Although Val Lewton's production team was renowned for crafting powerful, moody films on low budgets from second-hand sets, "The Ghost Ship" proves that they couldn't pull it off every time.
The story is packed with incidents and characters, but at no point does it live up to the image evoked by the title, despite an eerie Roy Webb score. Apparently the film was forced out of circulation for 50 years after charges of plagiarism were upheld. But why anyone would be so passionate about claiming ownership of this unexciting story would have to be a more intriguing mystery than the one contained in the screenplay.
Tom Merriam, played by Russell Wade, joins a cargo ship as the third officer. On board, Merriam meets a mute seaman whose thoughts are projected to the audience. This is one of the odd touches that throw the film off kilter from the start. Later Merriam meets Captain Stone played by Richard Dix who gives him a warm welcome. Adding another odd note is the fact that Russell Wade and Dix resemble each other physically.
After a number of incidents, Merriam believes that Captain Stone has authority issues, namely that he believes he is always right no matter what the circumstances. Meriam suspects that the captain has killed a sailor who confronted him about seafaring rules. When they reach port, he reports his suspicions to the shipping company. An inquiry is held but the Captain is cleared and it looks as if Merriam is the one who is going mad. Merriam resigns from the ship.
Before he can make the final break he meets Ellen, a woman who has an emotional attachment to the Captain, and who also becomes the catalyst for exposing the Captain's true mental state. Before the film ends, Merriam finds himself back under the captain's control, but the intervention of the mute seaman proves crucial.
"The Ghost Ship" is not unlike a filmed stage play. The most reliable and best-used prop in all Lewton's films is the door. No matter how lacklustre the sets – and those in "The Ghost Ship" are the bare minimum – doors always gave Lewton full value for their inclusion. Often closed, they tend to draw the viewers eye away from defects and deficiencies. Mark Robson, the director, knew how to extract full power from the 'wood in the hole' and how to heighten audience expectations about what lies beyond – doors help create tension in the few effective passages in "The Ghost Ship".
Ingmar Bergman believed that the essential quality needed for an actor to become a star is danger. This is not a discernible trait amongst the cast of "The Ghost Ship". In fact, Richard Dix doesn't even seem dangerous when he is attacking someone with a 12-inch knife. And, therein lies the film's major defect, the lack of a sense of danger. Possibly if the Captain had not been revealed as the culprit so early the film may have been more successful, but the filmmakers seemed more interested in the psychological aspects and the loneliness of command.
Although many reviewers admire this movie, I don't feel that it measures up to Lewton classics such as "Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim" or even to the later "The Body Snatchers" and "Bedlam". But then again, not too many films including some of his own have managed to capture the atmosphere and sense of mystery of a Val Lewton film at its very best.
The story is packed with incidents and characters, but at no point does it live up to the image evoked by the title, despite an eerie Roy Webb score. Apparently the film was forced out of circulation for 50 years after charges of plagiarism were upheld. But why anyone would be so passionate about claiming ownership of this unexciting story would have to be a more intriguing mystery than the one contained in the screenplay.
Tom Merriam, played by Russell Wade, joins a cargo ship as the third officer. On board, Merriam meets a mute seaman whose thoughts are projected to the audience. This is one of the odd touches that throw the film off kilter from the start. Later Merriam meets Captain Stone played by Richard Dix who gives him a warm welcome. Adding another odd note is the fact that Russell Wade and Dix resemble each other physically.
After a number of incidents, Merriam believes that Captain Stone has authority issues, namely that he believes he is always right no matter what the circumstances. Meriam suspects that the captain has killed a sailor who confronted him about seafaring rules. When they reach port, he reports his suspicions to the shipping company. An inquiry is held but the Captain is cleared and it looks as if Merriam is the one who is going mad. Merriam resigns from the ship.
Before he can make the final break he meets Ellen, a woman who has an emotional attachment to the Captain, and who also becomes the catalyst for exposing the Captain's true mental state. Before the film ends, Merriam finds himself back under the captain's control, but the intervention of the mute seaman proves crucial.
"The Ghost Ship" is not unlike a filmed stage play. The most reliable and best-used prop in all Lewton's films is the door. No matter how lacklustre the sets – and those in "The Ghost Ship" are the bare minimum – doors always gave Lewton full value for their inclusion. Often closed, they tend to draw the viewers eye away from defects and deficiencies. Mark Robson, the director, knew how to extract full power from the 'wood in the hole' and how to heighten audience expectations about what lies beyond – doors help create tension in the few effective passages in "The Ghost Ship".
Ingmar Bergman believed that the essential quality needed for an actor to become a star is danger. This is not a discernible trait amongst the cast of "The Ghost Ship". In fact, Richard Dix doesn't even seem dangerous when he is attacking someone with a 12-inch knife. And, therein lies the film's major defect, the lack of a sense of danger. Possibly if the Captain had not been revealed as the culprit so early the film may have been more successful, but the filmmakers seemed more interested in the psychological aspects and the loneliness of command.
Although many reviewers admire this movie, I don't feel that it measures up to Lewton classics such as "Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim" or even to the later "The Body Snatchers" and "Bedlam". But then again, not too many films including some of his own have managed to capture the atmosphere and sense of mystery of a Val Lewton film at its very best.
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