Reap the Wild Wind (1942)

67% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
53% of users liked it
(1,562 ratings)

Cecil B. DeMille's Technicolor historical spectacle Reap the Wild Wind was to have starred Gary Cooper, but Cooper's prior commitment to Goldwyn's Pride of the Yankees compelled DeMille to recast the leading role with John Wayne. The film, set in the mid-19th century, centers around Key West,… More Cecil B. DeMille's Technicolor historical spectacle Reap the Wild Wind was to have starred Gary Cooper, but Cooper's prior commitment to Goldwyn's Pride of the Yankees compelled DeMille to recast the leading role with John Wayne. The film, set in the mid-19th century, centers around Key West, Florida, where piracy reigns unchecked and steam engines are beginning to replace tall ships. Jack Stuart (Wayne) is a sea captain who crashes his vessel on the shoals of Key West. Loxi Claiborne (Paulette Goddard), the hoydenish manager of a salvage firm, arrives on the scene, but discovers that her rival in the salvage business, King Cutler (Raymond Massey) has reached Wayne first and lashed him to the mast, and is proceeding to ransack the ship with the aid of his partner-in-crime, younger brother Dan Cutler (Robert Preston). The Cutlers have built up quite a reputation for reaching wrecks ahead of competitors - to such a degree that some suspect them of making under-the-table deals with dishonest captains. While the men continue to ransack the ship, Loxi nurses Jack back to health, and the two fall in love; meanwhile, Jack worries openly that he'll lose the privilege of piloting his company's newest steamship. To ensure that this doesn't happen, Loxi offers to travel to Charleston, South Carolina and convince investigators that pirates were responsible for what happened to Jack. Subsequently, the company attorney, Stephen Tolliver (Ray Milland) must go to Florida with Jack's commission papers, and investigate the circumstances of the incident prior to givng the papers to the captain. In the process, Jack and Stephen become intense rivals for Loxi's affections. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 3 min.
Directed By: Cecil B. DeMille
Written By: Alan LeMay, Charles Bennett, Jeanie Macpherson
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

On DVD: Dec 15, 1998
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A product of its time, DeMille's epic spectacle has preposterous plot but the undersea effects are good and so are the performances; hard to believe but Ray Milland was bigger name than Wayne, who gets second billing and deviates from his screen image
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Tepid hokum adventure tale from Cecil B. De Mille.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Tepid DeMille spectacle enlivened by a giant squid.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Another overblown Cecil B. DeMille "epic." One of his lesser efforts.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...old fashioned, high-spirited hokum.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bruce B

I haven't watched many John Wayne films on DVD, mostly growing up and seeing them on TV, So this is a first. I don't think that the Duke was the main actor in this movie, think Ray Miland was Billed as Top Actor, but as The Duke rose to stardom, I think things changed. This… More
I haven't watched many John Wayne films on DVD, mostly growing up and seeing them on TV, So this is a first. I don't think that the Duke was the main actor in this movie, think Ray Miland was Billed as Top Actor, but as The Duke rose to stardom, I think things changed. This is a Technicolor classic, and I still say that Technicolor was way ahead of its time and looks so much brighter then anything we have today. John Wayne plays Captain Jack Stuart pretty much a washed up ships captain because of sabotage within his own crew, but he falls in love with Susan Hayward who brings out the best in any man. A true Sea worthy adventure. Good classic to add to the collection, but only 3 stars.
jay n

Florid, over the top De Mille epic, is there any other kind? The technicolor is vivid, the costumes are beautiful and the acting is enjoyably over the top, with the exception of Susan Hayward who, honey chile accent notwithstanding, gives a sweet, real performance amongst all the… More
Florid, over the top De Mille epic, is there any other kind? The technicolor is vivid, the costumes are beautiful and the acting is enjoyably over the top, with the exception of Susan Hayward who, honey chile accent notwithstanding, gives a sweet, real performance amongst all the scenery chewing.

Cast

            Ray Milland as Stephen Tolliver

            John Wayne as Capt. Jack Stuart

            Paulette Goddard as Loxi Claiborne

            Raymond Massey as King Cutler

            Robert Preston as Dan Cutler

            Susan Hayward as Drusilla Alston

            Lynne Overman as Capt. Phillip Philpott

            Charles Bickford as Bully Brown Mate of the "Tyfib"

            Walter Hampden as Commodore Devereaux

            Martha O'Driscoll as Ivy Devereaux

            Louise Beavers as Maum Maria

            Elizabeth Risdon as Mrs. Claiborne

            Hedda Hopper as Aunt Henrietta Beresford

            Keith Richards (II) as Capt. Carruthers

            Oscar Polk as Salt Meat

            William "Wee Willie" Davis as The Lamb

            Lane Chandler as Sam

            Davison Clark as Judge Marvin

            Frank M. Thomas as Dr. Jepson

            Milburn Stone as Lt. Farragut

            Ben Carter as Chinkapin

            Richard Alexander as Stoker Boss

            C.E. Anderson
            
            Cap Anderson as Member of Jury

            Stanley Andrews as Bailiff

            Sam Appel as Member of Jury

            Janet Beecher as Mrs. Mottram

            Monte Blue as Officer at tea

            Al Bridge as Cutler man in barrel room

            Barbara Britton as Charleston Lady

            Wheaton Chambers
            
            Jimmie Dundee as Galley Growler

            Billy Elmer as Member of Jury

            Julia Faye as Charleston Lady

            Al Ferguson as Cutler Men in Barrel Room

            Frank Ferguson as Snaith Cutler's Co-Counsel

            James Flavin as Father of girl

            Sam Flint as Surgeon

            Byron Foulger as Bixby emissary

            Fred Graham as Jake

            William Haade as Seaman 1st Wreck

            Mildred Harris as Dancing Lady

            Raymond Hatton as Master Shipwright

            Victor Kilian as Widgeon

            Frank Lackteen as Cutler man

            Ameda Lambert as Charleston lady

            Jack Luden as Southern gentleman at tea

            John Farrell MacDonald as Port Captain

            Claire McDowell as Ettie

            Lou Merrill as Captain of the "Pelican"

            Darcy Miller as Charleston Beaux

            Nestor Paiva as Man with Suspenders

            Tony Paton as Cadge

            George H. Reed as Servant at Mottram House

            Constantine Romanoff as Pete Sponge Boat

            John St. Polis as Devereaux Agent

            Dorothy Sebastian as Woman in ballroom

            Dale Van Sickel as Roy "Falcon" sailor

            Victor Varconi as Lubbock

            Bruce Warren as Charleston Gentleman

            Stanhope Wheatcroft as Devereaux secretary

            Harry Woods as Mace

            Dutch Hendrian as Mate of Packet

            Dave Wengren as Claiborne Lookout

            Leo Sulky
            
            Eugene Jackson as Dr. Jepson's Boy

            Frank Richards as Cutler man

            Keith Richards (I)
            
See full cast