Mystery Ship (1941) User Reviews

A fairly good surprise

[searchanddestroy-1 · 15 February 2009]

Actually I must admit that Lew Landers made a bunch of good films over the years. For Columbia pictures, for most of these movies. A very long carrier indeed and not only master pieces. This one was shot in 1941, before Pear Harbor disaster, and it is a spy story. A fast paced one, a sort of mix up between action, romance and comedy. I found this feature very inventive where, aboard the ship, the bad guys who are prisoners succeed in taking it, having control over the crew, before being themselves monitored by the same crew. After good fights, of course. Look for the other films of this prolific director. There are really many of them, easily available among the collectors. This one is worth something for anyone who loves B movies.

You won't get asleep during the viewing, I can assure you.

Mystery destination

[AAdaSC · 5/10 · 10 April 2015]

FBI agent Paul Kelly (Allan) and reporter Lola Lane (Pat) are due to get married for the billionth time when a secret assignment is handed to Kelly and his friend Larry Parks (Tommy). This leads to the cancellation of the wedding and a secret trip on a ship filled with the country's most notorious criminals.

The film is OK, nothing too standout. It starts in a jokey fashion and takes a while to get going. There is some tension once we get onto the ship as there is a power struggle between villains for who is top dog. There are a few unrealistic sections, eg, the lack of numbers in officers escorting these villains and the lack of shooting from the officers when unrest breaks out. We also get a rather gentlemanly Trevor Bardette (Madek) who is quick to concede defeat to the better man. I don't think so! However, Cy Kendall (Condor) makes a good thug.

The film wraps up rather quickly and it's all rather unrealistic. Where on earth are all these villains being deported to given that they are all American?