Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

thecinemacafe The cargo isn't the only strange thing on this journey. However, the title does symbolically refer to its most unusual factor: A rather too obvious Christ-like figure played by Ian Hunter who tags along with some other prisoners attempting an escape from Devil's Island, a penal colony off the coast of French Guiana. One might suspect that this character's persistent appearance in the storyline would be a constant annoyance yet that's really not the case. He's rarely judgmental. His remarks about the others are always creatively intelligent, often unexpectedly helpful. He's even forgiving given these convicts' sordid backgrounds especially after witnessing their self-centered actions during the long and difficult escape. A notable example of his rather surprising response occurs when two of the convicts' (portrayed by Albert Dekker and a young John Arledge) very close and personal relationship ends when the younger one dies. Dekker not being able to cope without his friend (lover?) decides to take his own life. Yet Hunter neither condemns the suicide or the rather obvious homosexual relationship between the two. Instead he chooses only to reinforce the idea to Dekker as he's dying that it's not too late for him to reach a higher spiritual plateau. Besides, this spiritually symbolic figure is not just an observer he's a participant. For one thing he typically goes to great lengths (sometimes miraculous) to help the other criminals remain free! His presence right through to the end of this story will remain mysteriously, and perhaps awkwardly, ambivalent. Yet all of these characters are unique and multidimensional. Most are depicted as ruthless albeit creative opportunists. Foremost is Paul Lukas' serial killer having a past that includes disposing of his many wives for purely financial gain. He cynically but respectfully rejects Hunter's religious overtures right up to the end when they part company, bringing further realism to the proceedings. Now did I mention this film stars Clark Gable as one of the convicts and Joan Crawford as a thinly disguised prostitute? No? Well then I saved the best part for last. Their on and off again relationship (not to mention their dialogue which is snappier than a bus load of Japanese tourists) is priceless. Add the weird Peter Lorre as a prison informer who vies for Crawford's affections and you have one mismatched, very strange yet fascinating motion picture.

Michael_Elliott Strange Cargo (1940)*** (out of 4)Bizarre and flawed film from MGM about a group of men who escape from Devil's Island but fall under the spell of a man who appears to be Christ. This film turned out to be the last between stars Joan Crawford and Clark Gable and the studio certainly picked out a strange one for them. He plays one of the convicts who escapes, she's the woman who gets dragged along and Ian Hunter plays the Christ like character who tries to teach all these bad people the right way to do things. The "strange" in the title is certainly fitting as throughout the film I couldn't help but wonder why this film would be made and released when it was. I mean, a lot of religious things were in movies at this time but I'm not sure why the studio needed something so heavy. The film starts off pretty strong as it's basically a prison escape movie with a lot of adventure thrown in. The escape sequences through the jungle were quite thrilling and it made for a fun time. Even before this we're given some situations and dialogue between Gable and Crawford that were a little bit daring and especially considering this was made long after the pre-code era. The way Gable forces himself on Crawford is just something that wasn't the norm. Once everyone gets to the boat and gets on the ocean is when the religious stuff really starts to take center stage and lets just say that it's very much in your face. The final twenty-minutes are without question the weakest and I think the film really loses its way and becomes way too preachy. At 114-minutes the film eventually just runs out of gas. However, before that happens, the film is good enough to watch thanks in large part to the terrific cast. Gable is as good as always. Crawford makes for a great love interest. Hunter appears to be having fun with his lines and we also get good support from Peter Lorre, Albert Dekker and Paul Lukas. STRANGE CARGO has many flaws but fans of the cast should enjoy it.

LeonLouisRicci This is an uncomfortable Film to endure. It has a storyline that ventures from prison escape, to jungle trek, to slutty, wet romance, to Religious Allegory with transitions that are not at all smooth. The Star Power here is on hand to help through the deep concerns with playful bickering and cynical indignation.In fact, it is a wonder this thing got made at all. What with its, hardly ever filmed heavy handed, Christ analogies the Studio took a chance here at alienating at the least and angering at most many ticket buyers and Social groups. There is a deep Philosophical concern in this otherwise routine Adventure that won't be found in the usual escapism.It can be quite impressive in its glowing representation of a Saviour that is straight out of the New Testament and placed in the middle of Street Walkers, Murderers, and Thieves in a Jungle setting. There is a Supernatural feel among raw Nature and its handling of redemption is always within a setting of Angelic reflection and soft spoken words.This Movie will be a matter of taste for most as it can be seen as overdone and dense, melodramatic and melancholy. But it cannot be denied as a truly offbeat affair and for those seeking something unusual from the usual Star and Studio System, this is it.

DKosty123 This film can be viewed as a message film if you read a lot into it. My take is the message of Hunters Christ like character is pretty thin. Clark Gable has a strong performance in this one, directly following his Gone With The Wind performance. In this one, he actually is a criminal unlike GWTW where Rhett Butler was a cad, but not a convicted felon.Joan Crawford is quite amazing in this as she is a beautiful in this one as in any of her films. The version I watch on TCM recently has several scenes where she has a torn dress & is lifting it to reveal some really nice legs. The main weakness in this movie with her character is here she is roughing it on an island & escaping into swamps with Gable, and yet she is still wearing high heels and is shown adjusting her lip stick and make up. Peter Lorre as M'sieu Pig is in prime form here as the man who could rat out Gable who everyone thinks is dead. Crawford offers to give herself to Lorre to protect him so he can run away to Cuba. Ian Hunter plays his character just understated enough that he doesn't preach.In the end, this film ends quite well though it does not settle exactly what is going to happen to Gable when he fore goes his Cuba escape and turns himself in to face the music.