East of Java
Cast & Crew
George Melford
Charles Bickford
Elizabeth Young
Frank Albertson
Leslie Fenton
Siegfried Rumann
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In a British port in East Africa, American fugitive Red Bowers escapes an extradition order by bribing his way onto Captain Wong Bo's tramp steamer called the Sea Dragon . Also on board is former circus trainer Muller and his entourage of wild animals. Bowers buys a cabin, already reserved by Ann Martin, which leaves her in the lurch. An American salesman named Larry saves Ann from being hurt when a lion cage is hoisted onto the ship. Realizing Ann now has no cabin, Bowers gives her his, but that night tries to move in, forcing Ann on deck, where she is joined by Larry. Wong Bo then learns from a radio announcement that Bowers is a fugitive and offers him sanction on his boat for $50,000, but Bowers responds by pulling a gun and demanding to be put ashore. A typhoon then hits, smashing the boat against a reef. Bowers saves Ann and Larry, and the survivors, which include Muller's animals, take refuge on a deserted island in the Indian Ocean. Bowers appoints himself leader and maintains control with his gun. Although Larry and Wong Bo start a revolt, Bowers silences them. One by one, the passengers are killed by Muller's lions and tigers, who have inhabited the island's jungle. Larry, meanwhile, releases a talking bird he had been transporting to a friend with a note tied to its neck, hoping it will act like a homing pigeon. Bowers then sends Wong Bo to his death over a cliff, and, injured in the struggle, befriends the last survivors, Ann and Larry, in order to save himself from the lions. The bird makes it to civilization, and a pilot, who sets out to locate the castaways, sights them as the lions are about to attack. Bowers sets the dry jungle ablaze to distract the lions from Larry and Ann, but is himself eaten.
Director
George Melford
Cast
Charles Bickford
Elizabeth Young
Frank Albertson
Leslie Fenton
Siegfried Rumann
Jay Gilbuena
Clarence Muse
Ivan Simpson
Edgar Norton
Charles Mcnaughton
Fraser Acosta
Raymond Turner
Torben Meyer
J. P. Mcgowan
Wyndham Standing
Ivar Mcfadden
Adolph Milar
Vernon P. Downing
James B. Leong
Chester Gan
Sam Labrador
Pete Katsanaro
Claude Martin
Jack Casey
Malay Clu
Jim Spence
John George
Toni Mori
Suran Singh
Bernard Siegel
Art La Forrest
Joey Ray
Katherine Jackson
Albert Logan
Crew
Archie Arnett
Jack Boland
Norbert Brodine
Ray Burgess
Dave Campbell
James Ashmore Creelman
Gertrude Frye
John P. Fulton
Daniel Hall
Larry Judge
Paul Kohner
Paul Kohner
Gilbert Kurland
Carl Laemmle
Otto Lederer
George Melford
Edward Mull
M. F. Murphy
Paul Perez
Maurice Pivar
Freda Rosenblatt
Helen Valkis
Franz Waxman
Maurice Wright
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Charles Bickford almost died when a supposedly "tame" lion turned and attacked him. The lion (which was killed by its trainer) sank its teeth into Bickford's throat. Severely injured, Bickford was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery that saved his life.
Notes
Film Daily erroneously lists art director Daniel Hall as cameraman. According to a news item in Daily Variety, shooting for this film was held up when Charles Bickford was bitten by a lion. He returned for added scenes on November 4, 1935.
