utgard14 This is one of my favorite movies from the '40s. It's such a strange film for the time. Clark Gable and some other convicts escape from a Devil's Island-type penal colony. They are joined by a convict (Ian Hunter) none of them seem to know but who has a strange way about him. Gable also brings along a prostitute (Joan Crawford) who turned him in on his last escape attempt. The convicts and Joan embark on a dangerous journey to escape the island. Along the way they begin to suspect there is something almost supernatural about Hunter's character. As a matter of fact, he is heavily implied to be Jesus Christ! This sounds like something prime for mockery but it actually works really well.Clark Gable is just great in this, from a pure entertainment perspective. He spends the whole movie barking at people and being a tough guy. I especially love all of his scenes with Joan Crawford, saying things like "come here baby" and planting one on her. It's a macho cheesy role for Gable but I loved every minute of it. Crawford turns in an underrated performance and looks absolutely stunning. I don't think Joan would ever look this pretty on screen again. The best thing about it is she looks relatively plain here. No shoulder pads, no Groucho Marx eyebrows, no heavy makeup or matronly hairstyles. She's positively radiant.The cast is amazing. In addition to Gable and Crawford, there's Ian Hunter's brilliantly enigmatic turn as Cambreau. Paul Lukas and Albert Dekker turn in two of the best performances of their careers. Peter Lorre plays the creepy Pig who has eyes on Joan. John Arledge is nicely sympathetic as Dekker's "friend." There's certainly some room for interpretation with that part of the movie. It's a good-looking film. Director Frank Borzage never made an ugly movie that I'm aware of. He epitomized MGM glamour. Great Franx Waxman score, too. Just a phenomenal movie. Deserves much wider recognition than it has received.

vincentlynch-moonoi When I first began watching this film I almost turned if off. The idea of a less than prim woman meeting a man in a penal colony just seemed so outlandish. Fortunately, I stuck with it, and it turns out to be a very good film that is far more complex that one might first imagine. The Joan Crawford angle remains, but that doesn't detract from a more realistic prison escape tale.There are actually 3 different stories being told here: Gable and the other escapees, Crawford and her exodus, and what is between Gable and Crawford. And for much of the movie, the 3 tales are separate, making each more interesting. And then there's the allegorical figure of Cambreau, brilliantly played by Ian Hunter in one of his very best roles.There are some wonderful scenes here, including Gable falling into quicksand and great special effects during the storms at sea...for starters. And, thankfully the print being shown on TCM is extremely crisp and clean.The cast here really is quite good. Joan Crawford doesn't overact here...really conducts herself quite well...appears very plain and nearly without makeup most of the movie. Gable is Gable, which is enough in any movie, but here it's interesting to note that this is such a very different film and character from the little flick he made just before this one -- "Gone With The Wind". Incidentally, it's interesting that Crawford got top billing here over Gable! As mentioned, Ian Hunter has one of his very best roles in this film. Peter Lorre has an interesting character...sleazy...essential at the beginning and ending of the film. Paul Lukas is an actor I am often impressed with, though not so much here...not bad, but not outstanding as he often was. Albert Dekker is believable and restrained as the most evil among the prisoners escaping; I wondered if there was the implication of homosexuality in his character and his relationship with a younger prisoner. J. Edward Bromberg has an interesting little role as a sniveling prisoner, although his importance wanes through much of the film. Eduardo Ciannelli is one of those character actors who was always so good, and is here. John Arledge is rather forgettable. Frederick Worlock is convincing as the warden.The role of Ian Hunter...hmmmm...was he Christ? I think the answer is yes. Note in particular when he is floundering in the sea...he holds onto the piece of wood almost as if it is the cross. Very interesting.Highly recommended!

mark.waltz An all-star cast populates "Strange Cargo", a Josef Von Sternberg like movie made at MGM right before war broke out and a few years before its leading lady, Joan Crawford, departed the studio. Still looking quite attractive without much make-up (if any), Crawford plays an older version of Sadie Thompson ("Rain"), a sinner on Devil's Island who is constantly fighting off the advances of a "rat", M'sieu Pig (Peter Lorre), the most hated man (by prisoners and the warden) on the Island. "You're the one man I'd never get low enough to touch", she tells him. But Clark Gable? Yes, in spite of the fact that he's a prisoner, she can't deny her animal lust towards him. When brutish Moll (Albert Dekker) plans an escape, he keeps Gable from joining him by smashing his head with his shoe; That doesn't keep a movie hero like Gable idle for long, and he makes his own escape. Gable & Crawford end up together, Gable takes over as commander of the escapee's boat, and the other escaped convicts begin to ponder spiritual matters as they face their destiny.This is an extremely enjoyable movie that could have been too preachy if not handled carefully. Not all of the escapees reform or believe in what the truly religious characters are spouting. Ian Hunter's character is truly the most profound, and there will be some debate as to who he is supposed to be in the minds of the original writers. Hunter, in fact, gives the best performance, not too holier than thou, but certainly the most profound. Paul Lukas, the veteran leading man from the early 30's, plays a basically nice but moral-less man who is in prison for marrying women he then poisons. The others (J. Edward Bromberg, Eduardo Ciannelli, John Aldredge) have completely different purposes. As for Peter Lorre, this is one of the most vile characters he has ever played, and no one plays creepy like Lorre.While this is certainly not a great film, it is lavishly produced, but is ultimately defeated by the melodramatic screenplay, a few one-dimensional characters, and a bravado of pretentiousness. The chemistry between Gable and Crawford is as affecting as it was in their first film 10 years before, although he was happily married to Carole Lombard at this time. Crawford is brave in taking on a role that seemed to go out of style before the production code came in (films such as "Safe in Hell", "Panama Flo", "Anybody's Woman"), but Gable's overly manly character is lacking much likability. Betty Compson, a star from the early 30's, has a small role as Crawford's pal at the beginning of the film; Her career consisted of roles much like what Crawford is playing here.

bkoganbing The Strange Cargo referred to in the title is in the person of Ian Hunter who is a mysterious other world convict who comes upon a group of them planning to escape from Devil's Island. It's a strange film, Strange Cargo with Clark Gable and Joan Crawford in the very last of eight films they were paired in by MGM.Crawford dusts off her Sadie Thompson role for her character here. Even with the Code firmly in place it's rather obvious that Crawford is a working girl. She's free, but stranded on that notorious convict island. Gable is essentially the same cynical tough guy he played in so many MGM features at that time.Ian Hunter is the mysterious stranger among them. These aren't a group of choir boys he comes among. Yet one by one as they die he brings a peace that passeth all understanding as the Good Book says. The escapees all don't die, but all but one come under his influence.I'm surprised that TCM did choose this one for its theme this June of gays in the cinema. Prison films even during the days of the Code were a bit more open in treatment of homosexuality. The relationship of Albert Dekker and young John Arledge is rather obvious. Dekker in fact chooses a gruesome suicide rather than live without Arledge after he dies. In fact what's really startling to me was that the heavenly figure that Ian Hunter represents neither condemns suicide or homosexuality. I'm really wondering how the censors of the day let that one slip through. Paul Lukas has a very interesting part. He's today what we would consider a serial killer, he's married and killed many women for their money. He's cool and cynical and rejects Hunter's entreaties. When Hunter says they will never meet again, the line is loaded with implications.Strange Cargo is a strange film. It's not bad, but could have been a lot better without code restrictions.