The Sea Chase

There are several aspect to the selection of a favorite movie star. One would like to view with interest the full potential of said actor when playing different roles in films. However, the true test of any given actor is when the actor can effectively play heroes as well as playing the heavy convincingly. It is difficult to see one of the most prominent leading actors in Hollywood, the Duke, Mr. All American in obvious bad guy roles. For the most part he always played the hero. Thus it is with amusement to see Wayne in this film, " The Sea Chase " playing Capt. Karl Ehrlich a German Officer during World War Two. Further, his ship's crew is loaded with additional actors who have a history of playing good guys siding with him. If you look closely you'll see Jeffrey Hunter, Tab Hunter, James Arness, John Qualen, Paul Fix, Alan Hale Jr., John Doucette and even Claude Akins. The story is of a German cargo vessel, which is believed interned by the British, abruptly escapes and plans on making it's way back home to Germany. With David Farrar playing Cmd. Jeff Napier, who gives reluctant chase, Lyle Bettger as Chief Officer Kirchner, Waynes' foil, and sultry Lana Turner playing Ehrlichs' former heartthrob, the movie has a great deal of potential. However, as a fan of Wayne, it's difficulty to snarl at him for being a German. In addition, him being in the close quarters of Lana Turner on board ship, one can only feel disappointment as so little happens. Still, the movie is entertaining and since Wayne remains true to his screen image, one can enjoy all the action, slight as that might be. ****

1955 marked the last year of John Wayne's streak of being number one at the box office and it was films like The Sea Chase that helped bring about an end to his reign.

I cannot understand for the life of me why John Wayne, as American as they come was cast as a German. Right around the same time there were players like Curt Jurgens or the newly arrived in Hollywood Yul Brynner who would have been far better and believable in the role of freighter captain Karl Ehrlich. Brynner in fact later on did quite well in the film Morituri playing a German freighter captain. James Mason would have done well also. What was the Duke thinking.

Offhand I can only think of three films in which he played a non-American, this one, The Long Voyage Home, and The Conqueror. Of course The Conqueror was one of the biggest flops in film history with Wayne as Genghis Khan. He did all right in The Long Voyage Home, but it's a small part in an ensemble production. John Ford must have been very patient with him getting that proper Swedish accent there. Wayne did not have Robert Mitchum's ear for dialect. In fact Mitchum might have been able to play Karl Ehrlich.

The story starts in Sydney harbor right before the Nazis march into Poland. With war talk in the air, Captain David Farrar visits his old friend Wayne on his tramp steamer and he brings his new fiancé, Lana Turner. Wayne knows her to be an adventuress and probably an agent for the Nazis. He tells her to leave Farrar while the leaving is good, little dreaming he'd be asked by the German consul to transport Turner back to Germany.

Wayne sneaks his ship out of Sydney Harbor and the Royal Navy gives chase. While stopping at an island for supplies, second officer Lyle Bettger, a hardened Nazi, murders the survivors of a fishing vessel who were stranded there. Of course the atrocity redounds to Wayne's ship and gives the Royal Navy real reason to pursue.

David Farrar is a fine British sea captain in the best stiff upper lip tradition. Of course Lyle Bettger adds to that wonderful group psychotics he developed a patent on during the fifties. Lana Turner is well cast in her role as femme fatale.

A whole lot of young players are in the crew of Wayne's ship like James Arness, Tab Hunter, Richard Davalos, and Alan Hale, Jr. When the ship stops and makes some repairs and provisions, the crew is put to work cutting down trees. Lots of topless beefcake for the audience there.

In addition Richard Davalos has a very touching death scene, probably the acting highlight of the film.

It's not the worst film John Wayne ever did, but fans of the eternal Duke will find his playing a German incongruous to say the least.

After wading through our modern crop of difficult, complicated productions it was refreshing to watch this little number. Not unlike diving into that Pacific ocean.

It's not ground breaking. It's not even a work of genius. But isn't that the point and the purpose of a film ? A lesson that many directors seem to have forgotten these days with films that always have to try and out do one another. Be "clever clever", or make some drawn out post modern social commentary. I don't know about you, but I go to see a film to have a break from those things. To relax.

The scene where Wayne and Turner talk in a clearing is natural. I could have stumbled in on their conversation out of the trees. There seems to be no effort in what they do. Who's paying these people !? I want to see sweat and tears ! Oh wait, they're acting.

The story is obscure in an attractive sort of way .. not unlike another Wayne film "Blood Alley", but is told in that easy way that seems to come to matinees. Dropping off the screen like some dog eared work of fiction that you read on holiday.

This film is purely for entertainment and not of any historical background. Still, navy/sea warfare buffs will enjoy the story of the pursuit by a British destroyer of a German merchant ship across several oceans. The cast is so-so but with the "Duke" (John Wayne) in the lead role the story manages to limp along with some degree of success. The "destroyer" used in the film is in fact HMCS New Glasgow, a frigate then in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. I saw the movie shortly after it's release in 1955 while in my mid-teens; a number of years later I served on New Glasgow and recalled the part played by the ship and crew in the film. Shows how Hollywood will use any "prop" available to fill in scenes. The crew never did get any extra pay for their appearance (nor did the ship)but at least they have the satisfaction of knowing the true identity of the "destroyer." Despite all the above the film is good viewing and will be of interest to many.

John Wayne is monumentally miscast as the captain of a German boat during World War 2. John Wayne pretty much plays the part as he plays all of his parts - simply as 'John Wayne'. He saunters through his role, not really acting but just being there; however, he does have a great screen presence. He's not a German, though, and his strong American accent does him no favours in the believability stakes, and the fact that all of the crew speak English make this a film that obviously doesn't care whether or not the audience will believe it. Of course, this is 1950's Hollywood, so we can't expect the crew speak German with subtitles or anything like that; but having a German crew speak fluent English doesn't really work.

Despite it's relative silliness, however, this film is decent throwaway entertainment. The plot follows the escapades of John Wayne...I mean Karl Ehrlich, a German freighter captain who must take his ship from Sydney, Australia to it's homeland of Germany. However, things are never that simple as hot on his heels are the British Navy, and as we all know; Britannia rules the waves, so John...I mean Karl has a job on his hands. A chase is always exciting to see in a film, and it is exciting here.... sometimes. The film never reaches the dizzy highs of other action adventure films, but it holds it's own in the entertainment department. There are several good sequences, such as a shark attack, several scenes of rough sea and a near mutiny among other things.

Lana Turner stars opposite John Wayne as the standard 'love interest'. Lana's performance isn't bad, and she looks nice; but the love part of the film seems very much like it was tacked on in order to get more people to go and see it. I know that this obviously isn't what happened, as all love interests in films like this are very much needed so that the story can progress and have nothing to do with getting more people into the cinema. Oh wait. Anyway, despite this needless element; The sea Chase is mostly well paced and it doesn't get boring often, and when it does it's not for long; so I recommend the film to anyone that just wants something mindless to watch for a couple of hours; like I did when I watched it.