Sixteen Fathoms Deep

1933's "Sixteen Fathoms Deep" is a Monogram production featuring 27 year old Lon Chaney Jr. in the starring role, freelancing after his two year stint at RKO. Sponge fishing is the focus of this fast moving 56 minute programmer, as Joe Bethel (Chaney) acquires a new boat christened after his sweetheart, Rosita (Sally O'Neil), hoping to pay back the $3000 loan he borrowed from the villainous Theo Savanis (George Regas), who secretly covets Rosita for himself and uses his henchman, Nick Samos (Maurice Black), to sabotage Joe's vessel, preventing him from reaching the sponge auction that would enable Joe to get out of debt. Plenty of action and done without a hint of a music score. Still billed under his real name, Creighton Chaney is quite a confident revelation, often bare chested as he athletically barks orders to his crewmen, played by Richard Alexander, Constantine Romanoff, Raul S. Figarola, and Popeye lookalike Si Jenks, who even smokes a corncob pipe. Third billed Russell Simpson only appears once before the climactic auction, while top billed Sally O'Neil displays a fetching figure in a one piece bathing suit (she made only 5 more features). Producer Paul Malvern would be at the helm for two of Lon's iconic Universal titles, "House of Frankenstein" and "House of Dracula," while Monogram would remake this film in 1948, top billing Chaney as the villain, in "16 Fathoms Deep" (Creighton quickly followed this with another atypical Monogram, "Girl O' My Dreams").

Lon Chaney Jr. -- still credited as Creighton Chaney -- is a sponge diver, anxious to get his own boat and Sally O'Neil. He has a boat to buy, but auctioneer Russel Simpson thinks it's a cursed boat, and won't lend him the money. But George Regas wants Miss O'Neil, so he lends Chaney the money, and puts a saboteur on board the ship.

I wasn't expecting much given this is a Paul Malvern production directed by Armand Schaefer. I was very pleasantly surprised. With Archie Stout in charge of the camera, and most of the movie shot off Catalina, the audience is treated to some fine camerawork from aloft, and a long sequence shot underwater, showing the men harvesting the sponges. It's topped off with a lively and funny fight aboard ship.

In addition, the cast is spot on, with Chaney good in an early role, Regas quite good, and Miss O'Neil outstanding, beautiful, full of energy, and her accent fitting her role to a T. There's also some good comic relief by Si Jenks, dressed in a Popeye suit, with a corncob pipe stuck in his mouth, looking more like Poopdeck Pappy than the spinach-munching sailor man. Over all, it's as good as a Gower Gulch production can be.

Joe Bethel (Chaney) is a sponge diver who has a fishing boat and a lovely girlfriend named Rosita. Theo Savanis is the richest man in town and always gets what he wants and what he wants is Joe's boat and girlfriend. Savanis will do whatever it takes to acquire both the girl and boat.

This is a film that surprised me - I was expecting it to be kinda cute but a bit on the boring side is when I popped it into the player but the movie surprised me because it's an interesting little flick. I'll admit I watched this film for Chaney but the story and other actors/characters were good enough that they caught my interest as much as Chaney did. I would have liked this movie Chaney or no Chaney.

This 1934 film is not to be confused with the 1948 "16 Fathoms Deep" which also stars Lon Chaney Jr but puts Chaney in the role of the antagonist.

8.5/10