atlasmb "The Sea Chase" is a film full of surprises. First of all, John Wayne plays the captain of a German tramp steamer at the outset of WWII. He and his crew do not speak German, though there are (Nazi) radio broadcasts from Germany that are in German. By implying that Captain Ehrlich does not sympathize with the Nazis, the screenplay makes him acceptable.Secondly, the romantic couple of the film are played by the Duke and Lana Turner. Talk about an unlikely couple. But the film does not require them to be very intimate, so the odd coupling is downplayed.Finally, the film is--as the title suggests--the story of one ship chasing another. There is little contact between them, so the action has to do with Ehrlich's ship and crew handling hardships at the urging of their no-nonsense captain. This is not your typical John Wayne film.The crew includes Claude Akins and newcomer Tab Hunter. It's a simple story that ends oddly, in my opinion. Because it departs from the usual John Wayne formulae, "The Sea Chase" is interesting for that reason alone.

wes-connors German naval captain John Wayne (as Karl Ehrlich) is near Australia as World War II beaks out. Although he is against Hitler's politics, Mr. Wayne decides he must return to his Axis fatherland. Along the way, he fights Allied forces. If watching the "all-American" Wayne in this wasn't ludicrous enough, throw in singing Nazi spy Lana Turner (as Elsa Keller). She boards ship and shipmates. Wayne tells Ms. Turner not to wear tight clothing because it's been so long since the men have had shore leave. Fortunately, she does not always follow directions. You need something to relieve boredom from "The Sea Chase" and Wayne is little help. The best parts involve Dick Davalos (as Stemme), Tab Hunter (as Wesser) and a shark attack. And, it's in "CinemaScope" with "WarnerColor".***** The Sea Chase (6/4/55) John Farrow ~ John Wayne, Lana Turner, Tab Hunter, Richard Davalos

screenman John Wayne plays the role of a German merchant sea-captain, determined to get himself, his crew and his little freighter back to the fatherland. Playing the technical enemy was a rare outing for steadfast patriot Wayne, but he brings all of the staunch masculine values to bear that have typified just about every character he has ever played. His little ship might just as easily be a floating Alamo with a German flag.He slips his moorings at night in the fog in order to escape internment. On board is a German kiss-n-tell agent played by busty Lana Turner. She, in turn, is the formerly betrothed mistress to a British navel captain, played by David Farrer. Farrer also provides the intermittent narrative voice-over.There's plenty of familiar faces in the crew. Not least is Lyle Bettger, who should have done what Wayne did and invent himself a more memorable name. He plays his ruthless and vicious first officer. He also provides a little competition for the charms of Ms Turner. Ever-reliable John Qualen turns up to stoke the other boiler.And it's a sea chase. David Farrer's Captain doesn't much care for losing his woman, or the fact that she was a spy. But the case is compounded when the first officer murders some marooned sailors, black-balling Wayne and his vessel.There's lots of adventures along the way as a cat-and-mouse pursuit pitches the British navy against our elusive tramp-steamer. Ms Turner's character has to learn that there's actually more to men than her mammary-glands can gratify. Farrer is frequently out-foxed. Qualen keeps the engine running. There are several interesting dynamics with the rest of the crew - especially when it comes to using lifeboats as fuel.The ending is a bit flimsy. After such sterling and steadfast characters have been developed throughout the movie, the ambiguous melting away of the stars isn't very satisfying.But it's a good old 1950's adventure with all of the standard features of the period. Well worth a watch.

bkoganbing 1955 marked the last year of John Wayne's streak of being number one at the box office and it was films like The Sea Chase that helped bring about an end to his reign.I cannot understand for the life of me why John Wayne, as American as they come was cast as a German. Right around the same time there were players like Curt Jurgens or the newly arrived in Hollywood Yul Brynner who would have been far better and believable in the role of freighter captain Karl Ehrlich. Brynner in fact later on did quite well in the film Morituri playing a German freighter captain. James Mason would have done well also. What was the Duke thinking.Offhand I can only think of three films in which he played a non-American, this one, The Long Voyage Home, and The Conqueror. Of course The Conqueror was one of the biggest flops in film history with Wayne as Genghis Khan. He did all right in The Long Voyage Home, but it's a small part in an ensemble production. John Ford must have been very patient with him getting that proper Swedish accent there. Wayne did not have Robert Mitchum's ear for dialect. In fact Mitchum might have been able to play Karl Ehrlich.The story starts in Sydney harbor right before the Nazis march into Poland. With war talk in the air, Captain David Farrar visits his old friend Wayne on his tramp steamer and he brings his new fiancé, Lana Turner. Wayne knows her to be an adventuress and probably an agent for the Nazis. He tells her to leave Farrar while the leaving is good, little dreaming he'd be asked by the German consul to transport Turner back to Germany.Wayne sneaks his ship out of Sydney Harbor and the Royal Navy gives chase. While stopping at an island for supplies, second officer Lyle Bettger, a hardened Nazi, murders the survivors of a fishing vessel who were stranded there. Of course the atrocity redounds to Wayne's ship and gives the Royal Navy real reason to pursue.David Farrar is a fine British sea captain in the best stiff upper lip tradition. Of course Lyle Bettger adds to that wonderful group psychotics he developed a patent on during the fifties. Lana Turner is well cast in her role as femme fatale.A whole lot of young players are in the crew of Wayne's ship like James Arness, Tab Hunter, Richard Davalos, and Alan Hale, Jr. When the ship stops and makes some repairs and provisions, the crew is put to work cutting down trees. Lots of topless beefcake for the audience there.In addition Richard Davalos has a very touching death scene, probably the acting highlight of the film.It's not the worst film John Wayne ever did, but fans of the eternal Duke will find his playing a German incongruous to say the least.