Wolves of the Sea
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Elmer Clifton
Hobart Bosworth
Jean Carmen
Dirk Thane
Pat West
Warner Richmond
Film Details
Technical Specs

Synopsis
Heiress Nadine Miller is lost at sea when her steamer sinks and as time passes all hope for her survival is abandoned. She is alive, however, and while she copes with life on a desert island, Captain Wolf Hansen, his first mate William Rand, and their crew sail in search of the sunken steamer to retrieve a valuable collection of jewelry which was aboard it. Rand and Jim Lane, both loyal to Captain Hansen despite his growing insanity, keep a watchful eye on Snoden, Mitchell and Frankie, discontented sailors who are eager to mutiny and keep the treasure. Snoden is lashed for his rebellious talk, and he resentfully bides his time while Rand and Mitchell take turns diving at the site after it is reached. Rand rescues Mitchell one afternoon when his air hose gets jammed, after which he and Jim go ashore to find fresh water. It is Nadine's island, and despite her self-sufficiency, she has become ill. When one of the chimps she has tamed brings her Rand's hat, she collapses. Rand finds her and takes her aboard the ship. Snoden and his gang leer at Nadine, and Hansen, who has fallen and injured his head, reacts strangely to her, but she is happy to be with her handsome rescuer. The captain and Nadine soon become good companions, and the diving continues. One afternoon, Rand is diving when Snoden leaves his post at the lifeline to search Hansen's cabin for clues about the intended haul. Drunken Snoden attacks Nadine when she threatens to warn Hansen, but she is rescued by Rand. Worried about mutiny, the captain and Nadine arm themselves, while Rand makes a final dive. Hansen reveals to Nadine that he knows who she is, and that the jewels they seek are hers. Meanwhile, Snoden and Mitchell plan on cutting Rand's airhose after he sends up the treasure, but Nadine, armed with Hansen's gun, foils their scheme. Rand is hauled up safely, and the mutinous crew members are put in irons. While Hansen and Nadine admire the jewels, he tells her that they once belonged to him, and that he has been going mad without them after they were stolen by her father. Rand is dismayed to learn of Nadine's wealth and social standing, and believing that she is merely amusing herself with him, he harshly tells her that rich girls aren't for him. The afternoon of their landing, Jim and Rand go to a seedy bar, where Rand flirts with the hostesses and flashes his pay in order to make Nadine jealous as she sits at a nearby table. Rand's actions attract attention, and a gang of toughs jump him in the bar, but he bests them and escapes from local police with Jim by hiring on a steamer sailing the next day. Hansen, Nadine, Snoden, Mitchell and Frankie are passengers on the steamer, and while the three hoodlums plan on robbing Hansen, he and Nadine spend time together. Before the robbery can be committed, however, the ship encounters difficulty and begins to sink. Snoden and Mitchell are shot as they attempt to commandeer one of the lifeboats, Rand rescues Nadine after she is knocked unconscious during the confusion, and Hansen goes below to retrieve his gems, even though it will mean his death. Nadine, Rand and Jim make it to a desert island, where Nadine and Rand make up, while Jim sights a boat in the distance.

Director
Elmer Clifton
Cast

Hobart Bosworth
Jean Carmen
Dirk Thane
Pat West
Warner Richmond
John Merton
Edward Kaye
Crew

Film Details
Technical Specs

Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to information in the copyright files on this film, its working title was Lost Island. In the film, beginning after Hobart Bosworth's optical credit, the credits are written as if by him in the captain's log. Elmer Clifton directed and partially wrote a serial, released by Columbia between March and June 1938, entitled The Secret of Treasure Island. That serial also starred Bosworth. Although this film and the serial had many plot and thematic similarities, they are not directly related. Bosworth produced, directed and starred in a 1913 film called The Sea Wolf which was based on Jack London's novel of the same name. The name of the character he played in that film was Wolf Larsen (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20; F1.3896).
