TRADE WINDS
US, 1938, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Fredric March, Joan Bennett, Ralph Bellamy, Ann Sothern, Sidney Blackmer, Thomas Mitchell.
Directed by Tay Garnett.
Trade Winds is an exotic romance. Joan Bennett appears as a woman who commits a murder, transforms her appearance, takes on a new identity and leaves the United States by boat. She is being pursued by a detective, played by Fredric March. Shipboard romance ensues – but, of course, the questions of truth, justice and retribution have to be faced. There is a nice supporting cast with Ralph Bellamy and Ann Sothern.
Tay Garnett directed quite a number of popular films, some of which were classics like The Postman Always Rings Twice with Lana Turner and John Garfield.
1. How good a thriller and mystery? The impact of this kind of film? In the thirties and now?
2. The cinematic techniques of 1939, sets, world-wide locations and use of studios, quality of characterization and plot?
3. Comment on the structure of the film: the murder, the flight, the chase, the revelation of the truth? The use of mystery thriller conventions? How plausible the whole film?
4. How real was the film, how unreal in terms, of’ people, dialogue and situations?
5. How interesting a character was Sam Wye: his type, detective, attraction to women, the money, chasing Kay, the nature of his decisions, his falling in love with Kay, the truth? His allowing himself to be a heel and to turn into a hero? How credible, the attraction of his charm?
6. How credible a character was Kay: her society life, the shooting, the car in the harbour, her strengths in her escape? Her wandering the world? Falling in love with Sam, trusting him, marrying him, the island? Her prison suffering and the vindication at the end?
7. The use of locations, Asian atmospheres, locations for action? The piano playing, the races etc.?
8. How good was the comedy in the character of Jeanette and Blodgett? The heavy satire in attitudes?
9. The impact of the denouement and the finale? This film as a film of its time?
