South Sea Sinner
{{Short description|1950 film by H. Bruce Humberstone}}
{{Infobox film
| name = South Sea Sinner
| image = South Sea Sinner - poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = H. Bruce Humberstone
| producer = Michael Kraike
(as Michel Kraike)
| writer = Joel Malone
adaptation
| screenplay = Joel Malone
Oscar Brodney
| story = Ladislas Fodor
László Vadnay
(as Laszlo Vadnay)
| starring = Macdonald Carey
Shelley Winters
| music = Walter Scharf
| cinematography = Maury Gertsman
| editing = Ted J. Kent
| studio = Universal Pictures
| distributor = Universal Pictures
| released = {{film date|1950|8|30|United States}}
| runtime = 88 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
}}
South Sea Sinner is a 1950 American adventure film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Macdonald Carey and Shelley Winters. It is a remake of Seven Sinners (1940). Liberace has a small role.Bosley Crowther. "[https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9804E1DD1731E23BBC4E52DFB766838B649EDE 'South Sea Sinner' Arrives at the Criterion--'Red Light' Comes to the Globe]". The New York Times, January 16, 1950.
Plot
A cafe owner on a South Sea island plays a dangerous game of blackmail with a fugitive from justice.
Cast
- Macdonald Carey as 'Jake' Davis
- Shelley Winters as Coral
- Luther Adler as Cognac
- Frank Lovejoy as Doc
- Helena Carter as Margaret Landis
- Art Smith as Grayson
- Liberace as Maestro
Production
South Sea Sinner was known as East of Java during filming. Helena Carter replaced Dorothy Hart.{{Cite news|title=JANET LEIGH GETS 2 RKO FILM LEADS|author=THOMAS F BRADY|date=Jul 1, 1949|work=New York Times|id={{ProQuest|105964331}}}} Star Macdonald Carey was borrowed from Paramount.
Filming took place in July 1949. Winters was accused of having a number of temperamental outbursts on set including a clash with Helena Carter.{{Cite news|author=HEDDA HOPPER|date=Jul 26, 1949|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|165977394}}}} Winters admitted to being "nervous and tired" after making three films in five months and was "unused" to Humbersome's "close direction during song and dance scenes."{{cite news|author=HEDDA HOPPER|title= Walker Will Costar With Singer Grayson|work=Los Angeles Times|date=26 July 1949|page=14}} She said she had to perform "a suggestive dance" when some exhibitors and their families visit the set and she was upset when an eight-year-old boy filmed her; she asked that he be removed to where she couldn't see him.{{Cite news|author=Scheuer, P. K.|title=SHELLEY WINTERS MAY DO JEAN HARLOW'S LIFE.|date=Nov 13, 1949|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|166060791}}}}
Reception
The New York Times called it a "ridiculously romance-soggy film which has about as much South Seas flavour as a roadside papaya bar."{{Cite news|title=THE SCREEN IN REVIEW: 'South Sea Sinner' Arrives at the Criterion|author=BOSLEY CROWTHER|work=New York Times|date=Jan 16, 1950|page=18}}
Filmink called it "an okay film, not as good as the one it was remaking... most notable for giving a small role to Liberace. Winters gets all the sympathy here... but it is nice to see several scenes where Carter and Winters are friendly to each other...Carter doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic in this one."{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/helena-carter-appreciation/|title=Helena Carter: An Appreciation|date=February 14, 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|0041904}}
- {{TCMDb title|90965}}
{{H. Bruce Humberstone}}
Category:Films directed by H. Bruce Humberstone
Category:Films scored by Walter Scharf
Category:Remakes of American films
Category:Universal Pictures films
Category:American adventure films
Category:American black-and-white films
Category:1950s English-language films
Category:English-language adventure films
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