STRANGE CARGO

US, 1940, 105 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Ian Hunter, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas, Albert Decker, J. Edward Bromberg, Eduardo Cianelli, Frederick Worlock.
Directed by Frank Borzage.

Strange Cargo was Clark Gable's film immediately after the success of Gone With The Wind. He is teamed, for the eighth time, with Joan Crawford. The film is an adventure - an escape from a French penal colony in Guiana; but, it is also an allegory of the battle between good and evil. Ian Hunter portrays a Christ like figure Claude Cambreau, who takes Gable's place in a convict line-up, escapes with the convicts and gradually transforms their attitudes. Parallels with the Gospel story of Jesus are drawn - he becomes a prisoner with the men, takes their place, guides them, stops their violence. Joan Crawford is the prostitute who repents. There is an explicit sign of the cross at the end.

Direction is by Frank Borzage, a director of many comedies and dramas with otherworldly touch. The film is based on a novel by Richard Sale called Not Too Narrow, Not Too Deep.

The film works well enough as an I Escaped From Devil's Island, Papillon adventure. The allegory and the Christ-figure are certainly very interesting, although the reverent style of the '40s is very much in evidence. The film is in danger of being laughed at by contemporary audiences. Nevertheless, it is an interesting Gable performance and an interesting attempt by Hollywood to make an allegory and to explore a Christ-figure.

1. The film as a star vehicle? Adventure? Fable? Allegory? A satisfying entertainment blend? Impact in its time? Now?

2. M.G.M. production values: black and white photography, studio sets, gloss? Creation of setting and atmosphere? Franz Waxman's score? The strong cast?

3. The stereotype elements of the plot: the establishment of the prison, the echoes of the Devil's Island films, the prison situation, justice and injustice, the need to escape? The prisoner and guard types? Dangers, death? The transformation of Vern at the end breaking expectations?

4. Clark Gable as Vern? His emerging from isolation, criminal background, tough, interview with the Governor, being put on trust? The encounter with Julie and his promise to escape? The escape and Julie's betraying him? The Governor and Julie's expulsion from the island? The clash with Moll in the dormitory? Carefree attitude? Sureness of himself? The encounter with Cambrau and the Bible? His knowing the Bible and his quoting it throughout the film e.g. The Song of Songs to Julie? Creation and the Genesis story and the image of God in all men? Moll's preventing him escaping, his contriving the escape, his adventures in joining the group, clashing with Moll and the fight on the shore, his taking over leadership, the closeness to Julie? The final confrontation with Moll and his drinking the salt water? The arrival on the mainland? His thinking Julie had betrayed him? The escape on the ship? The confrontation with Cambrau?

5. Julie as the miss Sadie Thompson type? The girl stranded in an outpost? Her talking to Vern on the wharf? Her leading him on, calling the police? The Governor expelling her? Her antagonism towards Pig? The outpost? Cambrau leaving the money for her? The confrontation with Vern and the escape? Sharing the sufferings of the group? Resisting Cambrau and taunting him? Thinking that she would die during the calm? Changing awareness of the meaning of her life? The new encounter with Pig? Her giving herself to let Vern escape? Vern spurning her? The final making up and his going to atone for his crime? Joan Crawford's presence and style? As the heavily made-up Julie? As Julie without make-up and her being seen as an ordinary woman?

6. Telez and his Bible-reading, fear? His crucifix? His supplying himself with food and his being almost murdered for it? Dupont and Flambeau and their attack on him, thinking he was dead? His coming again? His death and the long confessional scene with Cambrau - the nature of God, repentance? Dupont as the kid his bashing Telez, his fears? The friendship with Moll and the singing of the song? His anticipation of death? His being missed by Moll? Flambeau and the food, killing? His throwing the cask into the sea? Cambrau helping him to repentance and an understanding of his life? Saving the cask and being taken by the shark? Giving his life for others?

7. Moll and his toughness, leadership, heading the breakout? Preventing Vern from leaving? His gradual fears? Cambrau helping him? The strong friendship with the kid - affection? His drinking the salt water himself to save the others?

8. Hessler and the background of his poisoning wives? His presence in the prison, strong, intellectual, appreciating Cambrau? Cynical and sceptical? His surviving? His comments that Cambrau was the Devil -yet not wanting to blaspheme? The opportunity for a change of heart? His decision to go into the town and find a new wife? His moment's hesitation - Judas figure?

9. The Governor and his administration of the prison, his trust in Vern? Pig and his being an informer? The attachment to Julie? His exploiting this at the end? The officers, the girls of the town? The atmosphere of Guiana and French convict settlements? The memories of France? Yet the atmosphere of the '30s?

10. The character of Cambrau and his difference from the other prisoners? His arrival and substituting for Vern, his calm and dignity yet being one of the men, his ability to quote from the Bible, his discussion of the nature of God? His presence in the escape, supplying the money for Vern, drawing the map for him? Always helping and guiding? His seeming to know the future? His ability to affirm people yet let them be e.g. allowing Moll and Vern to fight? Money, arranging? His being near to Julie and her spurning him then her discussing, her life and confessing? Telez and his cross and true repentance? Flambeau and his change of attitude? Dupont and foretelling his death? Moll and the allegory of repentance? Hessler seeing the truth but refusing to accept it?

11. Cambrau's actions, leadership, help, warnings, supplying food, preventing them drinking salt water, walking and carrying his fellows, stopping violence, knowing there was to be a calm, steadying people, foretelling life and death, the fisherman, helping them on land, onto the ship?

12. The build-up to the crisis and the Governor trying to catch Vern, Pig and his manipulating Julie? The fisherman and his ship, the storm? The final clash between Vern and Cambrau? Vern resisting him? His saying that God was in everything and realising that Cambrau could be God? Diving to save him? The comment that only man can rescue God? Cambrau dying and coming to life again? Changing Vern? The credibility of this change of heart, Vern's going to atone for his crime, the love of Julie and her waiting for him?

13. Cambrau as Christ figure: the nature of the incarnation and Christ amongst men, as human beings are, yet without sin, becoming a prisoner with others, slave? Sharing their experience, taking the place of victims? Guiding, offering advice, letting people be, to choose their lives? To lead and draw out conversion from people? Giving advice but giving each the chance to change, to be better? The prostitute and her motives and conversion? Persecution and death, being saved by man, rising to a new life and starting again? The fisherman's sign of the cross?

14. The allegory of Good and Evil? Within the framework of a popular Hollywood film?