The Mystery of the Marie Celeste
Encyclopedia
The Mystery of the Marie Celeste (a.k.a. The Phantom Ship) (1935
) is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions
and was directed by Denison Clift
. The leading actor is Béla Lugosi
.
The story is based on the history of the ship "Mary Celeste
". The ship was found floating near Portugal
in 1872 without a crew. The film is an attempt at a rather unspectacular explanation of the events around the well-known spirit ship, without supernatural occurrences.
The U.S. version, called The Phantom Ship, is about 18 minutes shorter than the original, making the crew's disappearance more mysterious than intended.
As the couple plans to sail, the husband - Briggs is short on crew. He asks Morehead to forgive him and help. Morehead agrees and sends a man, Volkerk Grot (Herbert Cameron), not to help, but to do something to the ship.
Briggs also recruits some other men, including Anton Lorenzen (Béla Lugosi) who is a sailor who has suffered a lot and is about to break down.
As the sail begins, the crew realizes that there is a murderer among them who is killing them off one by one. Meanwhile a crewmember tries to rape Sarah, but Lorenzen saves her by killing the man. But then he cries because he can't stand the pain of killing a man.
Soon, everybody has died or disappeared except 1st mate Bilson, Lorenzen and a third crewmember, Ponta Katz (Gunner Moir). They decide that one of them is a killer and they will soon find out.
Katz realizes that Lorenzen could not kill, he was too soft, so he runs after Bilson. Bilson shoots Katz and then celebrates with Lorenzen on becoming the new Captain of Ship, making plans for future.
Lorenzen gets mad and tells Bilson that it is he who was shanghaied 6 years before, on the same ship. And he was doing all this to get revenge. Then he shoots Bilson and throws him into the sea. Just after killing Bilson, Lorenzen is hit on the head by the boom. He runs everywhere on ship in hope of finding Bilson, and in his madness he jumps off the ship.
The ship drifts with the wind until it is spotted by another ship. The ship is totally abandoned - except for a black cat!
A final scene shows Morehead handing money to his man Grot, commenting "I am thinking of Briggs and her, dead!"
1935 in film
-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .*Seven year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.*The Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment started in order to educate the Bantu peoples.-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:...
) is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions is a film production company based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic "Hammer Horror" films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies and in later...
and was directed by Denison Clift
Denison Clift
Denison Clift was an American screenwriter and film director. He directed a number of British films during the silent era.-Selected filmography:Director* A Woman of No Importance * Sonia * Demos...
. The leading actor is Béla Lugosi
Béla Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
.
The story is based on the history of the ship "Mary Celeste
Mary Celeste
The Mary Celeste was an American brigantine merchant ship famous for having been discovered on 4 December 1872, in the Atlantic Ocean unmanned and apparently abandoned , despite the fact that the weather was fine and her crew had been experienced and able...
". The ship was found floating near Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1872 without a crew. The film is an attempt at a rather unspectacular explanation of the events around the well-known spirit ship, without supernatural occurrences.
The U.S. version, called The Phantom Ship, is about 18 minutes shorter than the original, making the crew's disappearance more mysterious than intended.
Plot summary
Captain Briggs (Arthur Margetson) and Captain Morehead (Clifford McLaglen) are best friends. Capt. Morehead is in love with Sarah (Shirley Grey). He brings Briggs to New York to meet her. Briggs himself falls in love with her. Sarah also falls in love with Briggs. Both men propose to her the same day. Sarah chooses Briggs. Sarah and Briggs open their marriage plans to Morehead and he gets furious with jealousy. He's also mad with Briggs for going behind his back. But Briggs tells him that he will marry Sarah even if that means the end of their friendship.As the couple plans to sail, the husband - Briggs is short on crew. He asks Morehead to forgive him and help. Morehead agrees and sends a man, Volkerk Grot (Herbert Cameron), not to help, but to do something to the ship.
Briggs also recruits some other men, including Anton Lorenzen (Béla Lugosi) who is a sailor who has suffered a lot and is about to break down.
As the sail begins, the crew realizes that there is a murderer among them who is killing them off one by one. Meanwhile a crewmember tries to rape Sarah, but Lorenzen saves her by killing the man. But then he cries because he can't stand the pain of killing a man.
Soon, everybody has died or disappeared except 1st mate Bilson, Lorenzen and a third crewmember, Ponta Katz (Gunner Moir). They decide that one of them is a killer and they will soon find out.
Katz realizes that Lorenzen could not kill, he was too soft, so he runs after Bilson. Bilson shoots Katz and then celebrates with Lorenzen on becoming the new Captain of Ship, making plans for future.
Lorenzen gets mad and tells Bilson that it is he who was shanghaied 6 years before, on the same ship. And he was doing all this to get revenge. Then he shoots Bilson and throws him into the sea. Just after killing Bilson, Lorenzen is hit on the head by the boom. He runs everywhere on ship in hope of finding Bilson, and in his madness he jumps off the ship.
The ship drifts with the wind until it is spotted by another ship. The ship is totally abandoned - except for a black cat!
A final scene shows Morehead handing money to his man Grot, commenting "I am thinking of Briggs and her, dead!"
Cast
- Béla LugosiBéla LugosiBéla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
as Anton Lorenzen - Shirley GreyShirley GreyShirley Grey was an American actress. She appeared in 46 films between 1930 and 1935. She was born in Naugatuck, Connecticut and died in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.-Selected filmography:* The Public Defender...
as Sarah Briggs - Arthur MargetsonArthur Margetson-Selected filmography:* Wolves * Many Waters * His Grace Gives Notice * Music Hath Charms * Royal Cavalcade * The Divine Spark * The Mystery of the Marie Celeste * Broken Blossoms...
as Capt. Benjamin Briggs - Edmund WillardEdmund WillardEdmund Willard born 19 December 1884 in Brighton, Sussex, England – †6 October 1956 in Kingston upon Thames, England, was a British actor of the 1930s and 1940s....
as Toby Bilson - Dennis HoeyDennis HoeyDennis Hoey was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing Inspector Lestrade in Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. He played the Master of Harrow in The Foxes of Harrow and appeared in Tarzan and the Leopard Woman. After a career as a singer, Hoey moved to acting on the stage in...
as Tom Goodschard - George Mozart as Tommy Duggan
- Johnnie SchofieldJohnnie Schofield-Selected filmography:* Lassie from Lancashire * Sheepdog of the Hills * Bob's Your Uncle * Up with the Lark * English Without Tears * The Echo Murders * The Shop at Sly Corner...
as Peter Tooley - Gunner Moir as Ponta Katz
- Ben WeldenBen WeldenBen Welden was an American character actor who played a wide variety of Damon Runyon-type gangsters in various movies and television shows...
as 'Sailor' Hoffman - Clifford McLaglenClifford McLaglenClifford McLaglen was a Stepney, London-born British film actor. He was the brother of several actors including Victor McLaglen, Oscar winner for best actor, The Informer , and nominated for best supporting actor The Quiet Man.The other brothers were Leopold McLaglen, wrestler and inventor of a...
as Capt. Jim Morehead - Bruce GordonBruce GordonBruce Gordon may refer to:* Bruce Gordon , Canadian bassist and member of I Mother Earth* Bruce L. Gordon, American philosopher and Intelligent Design proponent* Bruce S...
as Olly Deveau - Gibson GowlandGibson GowlandGibson Gowland was an English film actor.Early sources had his birth place place as Newcastle. He started work as a sailor and later became mate of a ship...
as Andy Gilling - Terence De MarneyTerence De MarneyTerence De Marney was a British film, stage, radio, and television actor, as well as theatre director and writer.-Actor:...
as Charlie Kaye - Edgar Pierce as Arian Harbens
- Herbert Cameron as Volkerk Grot
- Wilfred Essex as Horatio Sprague
- James CarewJames CarewJames Carew was an American actor who appeared in many films, mainly in Britain. He was born in Goshen, Indiana in 1876 and began work as a clerk in a publishing firm...
as James Winchester - Monti DeLyle as Portunato
- Alec FraserAlec Fraser-Selected filmography:* The Woman with the Fan * The Woman of His Dream * The Knave of Diamonds * A Gamble in Lives * The Lure * The Great Defender * The Mystery of the Marie Celeste...
as Commander Mahon - Mary B MitchellMary B MitchellThe Mary B Mitchell was a British schooner which served as a Q-ship during the First World War. She was in service from April 1916 until the end of hostilities, operating in the Southwest Approaches from her base in Falmouth....
as the ship Marie Celeste