• Rating:
• Genre: Adventure
• Movie Type: Sea Adventure, Romantic Adventure
• Themes: Americans Abroad, Treasure Hunts, Love Triangles
• Director: John Farrow
• Main Cast: John Wayne, Gail Russell, Gig Young, Luther Adler, Adele Mara
• Release Year: 1949
• Country: US
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• MPAA Rating: NR

Plot

This unusual, dreamlike John Wayne vehicle is set in the East Indies. The focus of the film is the deadly rivalry between two men of the sea. Ship's captain Rails (John Wayne) nurses a long-standing grudge against shipping magnate Van Schreeven (Luther Adler). The reason for the animosity: Van Schreeven stole away Rails' love, Angelique (Gail Russell). Revenge has warped Rails to point that sometimes he seems to be the heavy of the picture. Complications involving valuable pearls ensue before the offbeat climax, which finds Rails scuttling his own vessel, the Red Witch, as means of getting even. The film's resolution is one of the strangest ever concocted for a Wayne picture. Wake of the Red Witch represented the second screen teaming of John Wayne and Gail Russell; the film must also have held some special significance for Wayne, since he named his own production company, Batjac, after the shipping firm depicted in the picture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• John Wayne - Capt. Ralls
• Gail Russell - Angelique Desaix
• Gig Young - Sam Rosen
• Luther Adler - Mayrant Ruysdaal Sidneye
• Adele Mara - Teleia Van Schreeven

Eduard Franz - Harmenszoon Van Schreeven; Grant Withers - Capt. Wilde Younger; Henry Daniell - Jacques Desaix; Paul Fix - Antonio "Ripper" Arrezo; Dennis Hoey - Capt. Munsey; Jeff Corey - Mr. Loring; Erskine Sanford - Doktor Van Arken; Duke Kahanamoku - Va Nuke; Fernando Alvarado - Maru; Henry Brandon - Kurinua; David Clarke - Mullins; Fred Graham - Sailor; Myron Healey - Seaman on Red Witch; Al Kikume - Native servant; Fred Libby - Sailor; Rory Mallinson - Officer; Jim Nolan - 1st diver; John M. Pickard - 2nd diver; Norman Rainey - Lawyer; Chuck Roberson - Stunts; Wallace Scott - Sailor; Mickey Simpson - 2nd officer; Carlos Thompson - Hekkim; Harry Vejar - Jarma; Harlan Warde - Seaman handling diving line; John Wengraf - Prosecutor; Robert Wood - Young sailor; Jose Alvarado - Taluna; Fred Fox - Ship's Surgeon; Grant Means - Dirk; Leo C. Richmond - Native Priest; Kuka Tuitama

Credit

Harry Brown - Screenwriter; John Farrow - Director; Kenneth Gamet - Screenwriter; Edmund Grainger - Producer; Reggie Lanning - Cinematographer; Edward Ludwig - Director; Howard Lydecker - Special Effects; Theodore Lydecker - Special Effects; Nathan Scott - Composer (Music Score); James Sullivan - Art Director; Richard Van Enger - Editor; Garland Roark - Book Author

Similar Movies

Reap the Wild Wind; Down to the Sea in Ships; Across to Singapore; Captain Horatio Hornblower; China Seas; Sea Fury

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