Cinema Revisited: Gambling on the High Seas (1940)

Directed by George Amy. Cast: Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman, Gilbert Roland John Litel, Roger Pryor, George Reeves, Frank Ferguson. Released June 22, 1940. Running time 55 minutes.

In the days of the double feature, a top-drawer movie would be coupled with a breezy B movie to balance out the program. "Gambling on the High Seas" is one of those companion features.

Wayne Morris stars as a enterprising reporter who is working to put the owner of a gambling ship behind bars for murder. He is helped by his girl, Jane Wyman, who uses her perky cuteness to attract, and distract, the racketeers.

There isn't much to the plot, or to the film, other than the fact that it keeps moving and maintains interest, while wrapping everything up in under an hour. It is filled with the sort of appealing characters and recognizable supporting actors that always permeate pre-war American films. And while it has elements of drama and action, it maintains a discernibly cheerful demeanor. Lightweight entertainment at its most effective.

This is one of only seven movies directed by George Amy, who could hardly be considered a stylist. He worked chiefly as an editor, partly as a producer, and rarely as a director. "Gambling on the High Seas" might be his best directorial effort.

The cast is strong, mostly featuring performers who were essentially minor support during this period in their careers, but in this B movie they get larger roles where they could expand a bit. They did better as they went along (Wayne Morris scored big in Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" shortly before his death, and Jane Wyman later won an Oscar for her performance in "Johnny Belinda."). It's fun to see a young pre-Superman George Reeves, and an acting vet like Gilbert Roland in a small, but essential, role.

One of the delightful aspects of film history is venturing down the bypaths away from the noted classics. Often we discover little unknown gems with no pretentions beyond superficial entertainment. A compact, aggressive B movie like "Gambling on the High Seas" is a quintessential example.