Strange Cargo (1940)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

An all-star cast populates "Strange Cargo", a Josef Von Sternberg like movie made at MGM right before war broke out and a few years before its leading lady, Joan Crawford, departed the studio. Still looking quite attractive without much make-up (if any), Crawford plays an older version of Sadie Thompson ("Rain"), a sinner on Devil's Island who is constantly fighting off the advances of a "rat", M'sieu Pig (Peter Lorre), the most hated man (by prisoners and the warden) on the Island. "You're the one man I'd never get low enough to touch", she tells him. But Clark Gable? Yes, in spite of the fact that he's a prisoner, she can't deny her animal lust towards him. When brutish Moll (Albert Dekker) plans an escape, he keeps Gable from joining him by smashing his head with his shoe; That doesn't keep a movie hero like Gable idle for long, and he makes his own escape. Gable & Crawford end up together, Gable takes over as commander of the escapee's boat, and the other escaped convicts begin to ponder spiritual matters as they face their destiny.This is an extremely enjoyable movie that could have been too preachy if not handled carefully. Not all of the escapees reform or believe in what the truly religious characters are spouting. Ian Hunter's character is truly the most profound, and there will be some debate as to who he is supposed to be in the minds of the original writers. Hunter, in fact, gives the best performance, not too holier than thou, but certainly the most profound. Paul Lukas, the veteran leading man from the early 30's, plays a basically nice but moral-less man who is in prison for marrying women he then poisons. The others (J. Edward Bromberg, Eduardo Ciannelli, John Aldredge) have completely different purposes. As for Peter Lorre, this is one of the most vile characters he has ever played, and no one plays creepy like Lorre.While this is certainly not a great film, it is lavishly produced, but is ultimately defeated by the melodramatic screenplay, a few one-dimensional characters, and a bravado of pretentiousness. The chemistry between Gable and Crawford is as affecting as it was in their first film 10 years before, although he was happily married to Carole Lombard at this time. Crawford is brave in taking on a role that seemed to go out of style before the production code came in (films such as "Safe in Hell", "Panama Flo", "Anybody's Woman"), but Gable's overly manly character is lacking much likability. Betty Compson, a star from the early 30's, has a small role as Crawford's pal at the beginning of the film; Her career consisted of roles much like what Crawford is playing here.

"Strange Cargo" is a 1940 film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable that leaves the usual story lines behind - romantic comedy, kept woman, rags to riches - as it weaves an allegorical tale of escaping prisoners and a Christ-like figure who accompanies them. Gable is Andre Verne, a prisoner on Devil's Island who escapes with several other prisoners (Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Eduardo Ciannelli, J. Edward Bromberg and John Arledge). During the evening count, he's almost found missing but another man, Cambreau (Ian Hunter) replaces him in line. He then boards the boat to the mainland with them and Julie (Crawford), probably a prostitute, who is escaping also from a lecherous bounty hunter (Peter Lorre).The prisoners fall on hard times as they escape through the woods and also while at sea when their water becomes tainted. Cambreau gives each prisoner comfort and helps them to confront the evil that brought them to Devil's Island, helping to bring them peace at last. This is not lost on Julie who sees a chance for redemption. Verne, however, isn't interested.This is a very simple story beautifully directed by Borzage. The atmosphere of the film is dark and haunting. There is no preachiness. The sheer power of Cambreau and his sense of faith is what brings the prisoners solace. Hunter is majestic in the role. Gable is appropriately tough, and Crawford brings depth to Julie, who thought she knew what she wanted. The rest of the cast is top-notch."Strange Cargo" seems like a film that was made in the early '30s with its Christian parable. This was the last film that Crawford and Gable made together. Its powerful message makes this a fitting ending for a fine MGM team.

The Strange Cargo referred to in the title is in the person of Ian Hunter who is a mysterious other world convict who comes upon a group of them planning to escape from Devil's Island. It's a strange film, Strange Cargo with Clark Gable and Joan Crawford in the very last of eight films they were paired in by MGM.Crawford dusts off her Sadie Thompson role for her character here. Even with the Code firmly in place it's rather obvious that Crawford is a working girl. She's free, but stranded on that notorious convict island. Gable is essentially the same cynical tough guy he played in so many MGM features at that time.Ian Hunter is the mysterious stranger among them. These aren't a group of choir boys he comes among. Yet one by one as they die he brings a peace that passeth all understanding as the Good Book says. The escapees all don't die, but all but one come under his influence.I'm surprised that TCM did choose this one for its theme this June of gays in the cinema. Prison films even during the days of the Code were a bit more open in treatment of homosexuality. The relationship of Albert Dekker and young John Arledge is rather obvious. Dekker in fact chooses a gruesome suicide rather than live without Arledge after he dies. In fact what's really startling to me was that the heavenly figure that Ian Hunter represents neither condemns suicide or homosexuality. I'm really wondering how the censors of the day let that one slip through. Paul Lukas has a very interesting part. He's today what we would consider a serial killer, he's married and killed many women for their money. He's cool and cynical and rejects Hunter's entreaties. When Hunter says they will never meet again, the line is loaded with implications.Strange Cargo is a strange film. It's not bad, but could have been a lot better without code restrictions.

STRANGE CARGO is strange indeed. It's hard to know just what to take from all the allegorical symbolism inherent in the IAN HUNTER Christ-like figure, the only man who shows compassion and tries to steer the other escapees on the straight and narrow.He has his hands full. JOAN CRAWFORD is a shady lady on the lam; CLARK GABLE is at his most rambunctious, bull-headed and arrogant; ALBERT DEKKER is a man on the brink of madness; PAUL LUKAS is a devil may care philanderer looking for easy money; J. EDWARD BROMBERG foolishly throws away a canteen of water and tries to retrieve it in shark infested waters; PETER LORRE has his mind on getting Crawford away from Gable--and they're all strictly losers by the time the story winds up.And it does take time to wind up. Almost two dreary hours of fights, guilt, loneliness, depression, and swamp fever for the viewer, all murkily photographed for atmospheric realism with very few daylight scenes.Gable is proficient as playing the kind of stock character he was famous for and Crawford is rather convincing as a woman who wishes she didn't love him as much as she does. But it's a tiresome tale with very little bits of humor to lighten the tone and some of the dialog is so full of platitudes about good and evil that you may find it a chore to watch at all.Interesting at times, but it misses the mark as entertainment--even serious entertainment.