Review of China Seas (1935) by Jeffrey L — 14 Jan 2013

A fun film for fans of the vintage black and white films, China Seas is a selection mostly shoved in the ?old? category given its release in 1935 yet features a superb cast and an engaging story. A good addition to the resumes of Clark Gable and Jean Harlow among the rest of the cast, this one surely is not remembered as well as Gone with the Wind or Bringing Up Baby among others yet still should be seen by anyone looking to enhance their vintage cinema comprehension.

This somewhat contrived yet ultimately likable yarn focuses on Dolly Portland or ?Baby Doll? (Harlow) being turned down by an aggressive ship captain (Gable) in favor of another more enchanting woman (Rosalind Russell). Though jealous to extremes initially, she tries to win him back despite his lack of tolerance for her obnoxious behavior. Realizing eventually that her striking beauty cannot win him over, she turns to another man (Wallace Beery) who is implicated in a plot to take over their ship with Chinese pirates seeking gold.

Despite a complicated plot some may have trouble catching onto, the attractive cast and elaborate storytelling make the film very watchable and the experience of being on a war line ship is portrayed nicely. Modern viewers may also pay close attention to the racism and other controversial content which caused the film to be banned in numerous countries upon its release in 1935. The film was followed by a short radio broadcast in the mid 1940s, which also featured Clark Gable in the lead role in addition to a colorized version a few decades later. Historical cinema buffs also will take a notice to the surprisingly good performance by Hattie McDaniel playing a similar role to her legendary character of Mammy in Gone with the Wind, which would come four years later.