Sea Devils (1937 film)

Sea Devils
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	RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date	February 19, 1937;
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$477,000
Box office	$940,000

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]

Plot

A 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

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

The film was to be directed by James Flood, but he left the project shortly before shooting after a disagreement with producer Small.^[4]

Reception

The film was popular and made a profit of $155,000.^[1]

References

^ ^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

Sea Devils at IMDb
Sea Devils at the TCM Movie Database
Sea Devils at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

[rko-1] Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931–1951', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol. 14 No. 1, 1994, p. 56

[2] Lawrence H. Suid. Guts & Glory: the Making of the American Military Image in Film. p. 62.

[3] FRANK S. NUGENT. (March 16, 1937). "THE SCREEN: 'Sea Devils'". New York Times. p. 26.

[4] "James Flood and Edward Small Split Over 'Coast Patrol' -- Cantor for Winchell-Bernie Film". New York Times. October 14, 1936. p. 31.

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