L'étrange mission du Nordlande

This film is much better than other reviewers would lead you to believe. If you're a fan of Robert Armstrong, James Gleason and early Ginger Rodgers as I am that would be almost enough. The three guys and a gal plot may seem old now but it wasn't then. It's carried off pretty well here. I appreciated the views of 1930 New York including Luna Park at Coney Island. As far as I can tell the midway was actually filmed at an amusement park in California; it certainly added a sense of reality. I, too was confused by the 1931 clothing in a film taking place in 1917. I kept wondering what war broke out. However, such anachronisms are to be expected in almost every period film. Women's hair styles and makeup always give it away. And if Greed could carry it off wearing late 1890's clothes in 1922 crowds, why complain here?

But the naval scenes are the star here. To my knowledge they are the most extensive authentic scenes ever filmed. It's obvious that the Navy gave it's complete cooperation. Everything looked authentic because it was. I loved that the film shows the German side without prejudice (or subtitles). Frank Reicher and Henry Victor lend an air of authenticity here, too. Except for the semi-comic interludes it could have been an excellent documentary. Over all this should be better known for its appeal to World War I fans and naval historians. Look fast for Richard Alexander (Prince Baron of Flash Gordon) as a crew member with one line.

Aerial footage of DD345 "U.S.S. PREBLE" (commissioned 3-19-20) while running at flank speed and turning from side to side and while airplane which is photographing bow-on goes from starboard to port and back again a couple of times.

James Gleason runs a tour bus and tells his passengers about the sights from the Woolworth Building to Coney Island. Robert Armstrong take photos of people at Luna Park, and William Boyd runs a shooting gallery there. They all love Ginger Rogers, who runs a candy counter. When the US declares war, they all join the navy and eventually find themselves on an old sailing ship, hunting for German submarines.

It's a rambling, random sort of movie which relies on the three male stars and tastes of exotic locations like Tangiers and Havana -- all on the RKO lot, of course -- as well as some help from the Navy. They also sank an actual ship at sea in an exciting sequence. It's also a lotof fun in this buddy comedy.

This is not a great movie, but it has some great shots of post World War I-era four-stacker destroyers, submarines, and three-masted wooden sailing ships that play combatant. A young Ginger Rogers is the love interest in a fairly hokey plot but I am glad that I watched it. The future Hopalong Cassidy plays the hero as a recalled to active duty Chief Petty Officer. Based upon a book by an active duty Navy Commander.

The threesome of Bill Boyd, Robert Armstrong, and James Gleason play Coney Island carnys vying for the hand of Ginger Rogers, a working gal who sells salt water taffy. With the outbreak of World War I, the threesome enlist and pursue Ginger from afar. The first half of this RKO Pathe production is hard going, with the three male leads chewing up the scenery with overcooked one-liners and 'snappy' dialogue that quickly grows tiresome. The second half concentrates on action sequences as the US Navy pursues both a German merchant cruiser and a U-boat. These sequences are lively and well-filmed, but overall this is an overlong and unsatisfying comedy-drama with a flat ending. For fans of the stars only.