Piratas del Caribe

Reap the Wild Wind is Cecil B. DeMille's contribution to such sea-faring adventure classics as The Sea Hawk or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. John Wayne plays a ship captain, Ray Milland plays a lawyer, and Paulette Godard a feisty southern belle who comes between them. There's plenty of fights, a trial, and an entertaining squid. There's Susan Hayward, Robert Preston, Louise Beavers, and Raymond Massey. There's a wonderful music score and beautiful Technicolor. There's a playful monkey and a talking dog (coutesy of Milland's ventriloquism). And it begins with DeMille's narration to set the tone for an action-packed, if occasionally talky, picture. This is good old-fashioned filmaking at its finest! For fans of all of the above, plus Hedda Hopper in her last role not playing herself, I highly recommend you definitely seek this one out!

Having seen this film many times, I can understand those critics who regard it as yet another ripe example of director Cecil B. DeMille hokum and excess. But for me, it is far easier to side with folks who like "Reap the Wild Wind" as a prime example of rousing old-fashioned screen storytelling at its best.

Made just at the outbreak of World War II, Paramount spared no expense to mount this super-lavish yarn about romance, treachery, maritime adventure, shipwrecks, salvage risks involving "dead" ships, and the spectacle of rivals searching for evidence in the deep-----where diving to find it involves less danger than the chance encounter with a giant squid lurking in a sunken hull.

John Wayne appears in an uncharacteristic role-----a flawed anti-hero (long before that term was ever coined) who is likable, weak, not too swift but yet charming and easy to root for. Ray Milland also does an unusual turn here. He is both a man of intellect and action----clever, funny and brave. Paulette Goddard is a revelation to those who are unfamiliar with her screen work. Remember, this was 1942. The super-independent, feisty woman she plays with such enthusiasm----while a role model for today's feminists----also shows an understandable human vulnerability. She has never appeared in another film that allowed her to be strong, sexy and appealing all at the same time.

The extraordinary supporting cast is an absolute delight. They carry off some of the most outrageously cornball dialogue ever spoken with such conviction that it becomes enjoyable. Raymond Massey's slimy over-the-top villain is unique---and so is Robert Preston's pathetic character as Massey's far less crafty brother. Preston is given the task of uttering one of the film's most unforgettable lines when arriving at a prearranged meeting with his girl friend (a very young Susan Hayward) that may never EVER have been topped as a "groaner.".

Special mention should be made of the beautiful Technicolor employed in "Reap the Wild Wind", the engrossing special effects (outstanding for their time) and the exciting musical score written by Victor Young.

Altogether, this is a film that holds your interest from the start and never lets it down. It is grand entertainment from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Almost 65 years old, it is still fun to watch. Lots of fun!

Cecil B. DeMille, other than THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, produced and directed one of his best films, in this swashbuckler. Along with rough seas, sailing ships, beautiful southern ladies, sea wrecks [he always has to have that disasterous wreck] a giant squid in a spectacular underwater scene in the hull of a wrecked ship, villains and heroes, DeMille rounds up a stellar cast in the likes of Paulette Goddard, fresh from her almost getting the role of Scarlett O'Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND, as Loxi Claiborne, who is in love with handsome Captain Jack, [John Wayne] who was just beginning to gain world wide fame and Steve Toliver, played by suave and sharp tongued Ray Milland, one of his best acting roles, along with a young Robert Preston and Susan Hayward as young lovers who become victims of the war over salvage rights of wrecked ships. Then there's Raymond Massey, as the villain, Cutler, Charles Bickford, Walter Hampden, famous for his stage performance of Cyrano, colorful Lynne Overman as Loxi's ship captain, Hedda Hopper [without a fancy hat] and Louise Beaver as a Mammy-type servant to Paulette [very Gone With Wind stuff]. The color of technicolor still holds up [not used that often in the 40s]. Goddard's performance alone is worth the admission. This was her second film for DeMille [the first being NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE] but not her last [ahead she was to play opposite Gary Cooper in UNCONQUERED]. In this film she shows why she came that close to getting Scarlett. Beautiful, oh, those green eyes, and feisty, like Scarlett, Paulette gives her best, including singing a rather salty sea chant at a social elite gathering of all of Savannah's fine ladies. This is available on VHS and worth getting a copy to view if you want to see the magical world of films of the forties. And the stars that made them.

Yet another star-studded box office hit few people have today even heard of. (Years later Raymond Massey remembered so little of this film that when he observed to John Wayne they ought to do a movie together it fell to Wayne to remind him that they already had.)

By the time he made this Cecil B. DeMille was leaving all the location work in the hands of second unit director Arthur Rosson and the scenes at sea are otherwise achieved with obvious models (although the giant squid is memorable enough for the film to collect its one Oscar, for special effects).

No matter. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and with a cast like that burnished with plush costume design and interior decor in sumptuous Technicolor it's an agreeable way to squander a couple of hours.

DeMille epic about salvagers off the Georgia coast and Key west in the 1840s where takes place several ship wrecks . Mighty thrills with the screen's most romantic adventurer , including a fine cast , lesser story , and nice underwater cinematography . Along the Florida Keys, the beauty Loxi Claiborne (Paulette Goddard) along with the old captain Philip (Lynne Overman) carry out ship salvage business, rivalled only by the ruthless and unscrupulous King Cutler (Raymond Massey) and his brother Dan (Robert Preston) . As Loxi and Philip contend with Cutler taking place unexpected consequences . Meanwhile , Loxi rescues and falls in love with Jack Stuart (John Wayne), who comes to believe that his contender for Loxi, Stephen Tolliver (Ray Milland) , has sabotaged his chance at a new ship.

This is an exciting 19th century romp dealing with the freight route of America's Eastern seaboard prey to cruel salvagers along with the treacherous Florida coast . Adventure/romance/action movie featuring Wayne as a tough captain , the nasty Raymond Massey and a giant squid. It packs great sea spectacle , fist fights , shipwrecks , voodoo drums , lavish balls , dreary courtroom confrontation and a breathtaking giant octopus saves the day .Based on a novel published on Evening Post 1940 , being adapted by Jesse Lasky Jr , Charles Bennett, and Alan Le May . As Cecil DeMille who had directed in 1938 The Buccaneer referred to the famous battlle 1812 between the British and the USA in which pirate Jean Lafitte took part in the New Orleans battle . Then , Cecil along with his collaborators : Willam H Pine , Victor Milner , Arigley , Anderson from previous film made another epic , this ¨Reap of the woild wind¨in similar style and during 8 weeks . Being assisted by a real ship captain , Frank Ellis as technical assistant . John Wayne gives a good acting , as usual , as the stubborn captain who mistaken but vengeful joins forces with an enemy with tragic results. Flighty Southern belle Paulette Goddard is gorgeous as Loxi who soon finds herself turned apart between Milland's dandish insurance inspector and Wayne's brawny captain . Ray Milland arranges to put in a credible acting despite an embarrassing suit and a penchant for canine ventriloquism . Raymond Massey provides the best acting as an extreme villain , the ambitious , rolling-eyed salvager Cutler . Suport cast is pretty good , such as Lynne Overman , Martha O'Driscoll , Susan Hayward , Charles Bickford , Hedda Hooper , Walter Hampden , Beavers , and Robert Preston , among others .

It displays a colorful photography from Victor Milmer , and William Skall , shot on location in South Carolina, Kay West and Florida . Including excellent special effects by Academy Award winning Gordon Jennings . Along with impressive production design by Hans Dreier . Thrilling as well as romantic musical score by the classic Victor Young . This vigorous motion picture was realized in Cecil B DeMille's ordinary style , supported by a magnificent second unit by Harold Rosson ; both of them made some greatests spectacles of all time . Although a nimbler action filmmaker than Cecil might have made even more of the Oscar-winning effects work . Cecil produced and directed 70 films and was involved in many more . Many of his films were romantic sexual comedies , as he is supposed to have believed that Americans were curious only about money and sex . His best-known were biblical epics that further established him as the symbol of Hollywood such as King of Kings (1927), The ten Commandments (1923) , The Crusades (1935) and , of course , Charlton Heston's Ten commandments (1956) and he made two versions about The Buccaneer : 1938 and 1958 that was ended by Anthony Quinn and Arthur Rosson .