The Ghost Ship


Directed by Mark Robson
1943

Background

Lewton started work on Ghost Ship and Curse of the Cat People at about the same time while toying with the ideas for two other films which never came about. (Amorous Ghost and Screaming Skull).Two other films were also announced – the non horror Are These Our Children and They Creep by Night – a sort of monster gathering.

August 3 1843 started shootingThey finished Aug 28.with a release scheduled for Christmas.

The film precedes The Caine Mutiny with which it shares some interesting links.
Ghost ship is preceded by Michael Curtiz’ 1941 production of Sea Wolf and Orson Wells 1943 film Journey into Fear on which Robson worked as his first job as solo editor. Much of this film takes place on a ship in the Baltic Sea.

. A script had been delivered and sent back. Later law suit that story was stolen Wanted $700. Lewton refused sine he was innocent and it went to court. The studio had to pay $25,000. and could not release film (there was a 1943 release in Australia)

Cast

The film stars as Capt. Stone Richard Dix a well known actor of the time who oweed RKO one more picture. He would later go on to become popular in the “Whistler movies” a series of films based on the radio show of the same name.

The role of the 3rd officer, Merriam, went to Russell Wade, the disembodied voice on the other side of the wall in Leopard Man..

Also appearing in a very early role is Lawrence Tierney who would later become fasmous as a movie (and real life) rough guy. His main role is probably Dillinger altough he also appears in Reservoir Dogs

Acting

Acting in Lewton films almost always underplayed. Voices are low. In 7th Victim, Kim Hunter was warned about stage vs. screen acting in terms of overplaying. Here also acting is very underplayed. Richard Dix is very withheld despite huge rage internally. How it manifests itself is murderous.

Characters

Capt,. Stone (Richard Dix):: Odd mnixture of types. Has fiancée, friends (like Ahab – Moby Dick) yet isolated lonely (typical Lewton). Contrast between relationships and lonliness. Related in some ways to Capt. Queeg of The Caine Munity and Wolf Larson of The Sea Wolf.
3rd Officer Merriam (Russell Wade): Likened regularly to Stone, but has different view of humanity.. Stone likens them to cattle with a few chosen who can weild authority. (Note the reference to the ship carrying sheep), while Merriam says they can be reasoned with. Stone dares him to see what happens and he doesn't succeed.
Polo (Skelton Knaggs) mute- Finn somewhat omniscient odd looking dangerous looking mute Greek chorus type

Sexuality and Gender

Only film in which women are not threatened and very male (only 2 women in the cast one of whom appears only as a silhouette.
Richard Dix) overly friendly. What to make of it. Sexuality? Perhaps FATHER/SON motif
Emphasis on weapons (often seen to be phallic)
Stress on nature of authority (see below)

Authority/responsibility/blame/guilt

Episode of the moth

You haven’t got the right to kill that moth. Its safety doesn’t depend on you.

 Justificatioin of not having performed the apendectomy

Fear of failure ("I am a sea captain, not a doctor")

 Stone has a fear of failing; unwilling to take blame

OFF SCREEN VIOLENCE

(operation) Real blood in stabbimng sceen and Polo grabbing the knife
Not like Leopard Man’s blood under the door

Sound Track

Busses: jug breaks (suspect someone in room)
Port hole banging
diagetic music of sailor songs as background for fight scene
Voice overs from Finn the mute are almost omniscient
Voice over of sounds of conversation (modified) in Capt. Stone's head

 Predestination

Typical in Lewton films:

Prophecies of blind man and Polo. (Blind man's are esplained away a la Sherlock Holmes deductions. Polo's are not)
Images of sheep opn boat like lambs to a slaughter
Warnings about hook

Real Vs. Non Real Danger

Not real threats (nothing happens)
Broken jug
Opening door
injection
swinging hook (foretold also)

Real

Death in locker.
Sparks thrown overboard
Attempt at killing Merriam

Foreigners/Outsiders

Confusion between Scots and Greeks because of bagpipe playing. People have lack of knowledge about outsiders.
Merriam is outsider hence foreign to the group and to seaman as a whole, since he has just come from the academy and has no real time on board

Lonliness of Command

Probelms generated by command. Roght of life and death over those you protect. (compare cases in courts with questions of disiplining of children. If you can't discipline how do you control? (Episdode with moth)
Will failure cause the captains authority to be questioned? (episode involving operation)
Changing position publically undermines authority (episode with hook. First Captain says leave it alone, when questioned again publicl;y he refuses to act. Later accuses Merriam of being at fault because Merriam put Stone in the position of having to waiver on a decision.

Subtexts?

The film is more upbeat than 7th Victim in that Merriam comes out OK, Polo is OK and Merriam meets Ellen's sister. None the less some problems remain.

People believe and fail to question authority. The crew side with the captain since he has authority. Have the men changed?
Svenson points out that the blind man can't see, the mute can't speak and the crew in effect can not hear.

Is the film biographical and is Lewton Stone or Merriam?

Director's involvement in some films may relate to their personal siturations (compare Kazan and On the Waterfront As Merriam, he is a victim of O’Selznick

As Stone he has the image of being bossy and pushing people around