''The Sea Ghost'' is a 1931 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

film directed by

William Nigh William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film director, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". Biography Nigh was born Emil Kreuske''Silent Film Necrology'', ...

and starring Alan Hale, Clarence Wilson,

Claud Allister Claud Allister (born William Claud Michael Palmer, 3 October 1888 – 26 July 1970) was an English actor with an extensive film career in both Britain and Hollywood, where he appeared in more than 70 films between 1929 and 1955. Life and ...

and

Laura La Plante Laura La Plante (born Laura Laplante; November 1, 1904 – October 14, 1996) was an American film actress, whose more notable performances were in the silent era. Early life La Plante was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 1, 1904, the dau ...

. The film was retitled ''U 67'' for its American reissue, stating in the foreword that "some of the scenes in this film show authentic exploits of the U 67 under actual wartime conditions".

Plot

Navy Lieutenant Greg Winters (Alan Hale) is found guilty by a

court-martial A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...

for pausing briefly to prepare to rescue survivors of the ''Alatania'', a torpedoed ship, rather than attacking immediately the submarine responsible. As a result, he is sidelined for the rest of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. In 1925 New Orleans, lawyer Henry Sykes (Clarence Wilson) hires now civilian Captain Winters for a salvage job on behalf of Evelyn Inchcape (Laura La Plante). Sykes insists on using his own deep sea diver to retrieve something from none other than the ''Alatania''. After a box is brought up, Winters confronts the diver, who turns out to be Karl Ludwig, the commander of the submarine for whom Winters has been searching. He puts Ludwig in the brig, though he soon escapes. Then Winters goes to see Sykes and Inchcape. Inchcape's wealthy uncle and cousin lost their lives aboard the ''Alatania''. Winters reports he has recovered two wills, one leaving a million dollar estate to Inchcape, the other to the cousin, whom Sykes implies is still alive. Now, after seven years, the uncle can be declared legally dead. Winters is willing to split the money with either party. Despite his professed indifference to Inchcape's beauty and her loathing of men in general, when they are alone, he gives her the first option. She despises him, but he tears the will in her favor in two and gives her half. Later, he sees Sykes at his office and, while pretending to bargain, learns that the cousin is actually dead; Sykes intended to produce an imposter. Sykes bribes Winters' first mate and some men to betray him. When Winters goes to settle accounts with Ludwig, he is ambushed and knocked out (though Ludwig has no part in it). Sykes kidnaps Inchcape and sets sail on Winters' ship. In a cabin, Sykes attempts to force himself on Inchcape, but she is rescued by Ludwig. They have a talk. Meanwhile, Winters, accompanied by his friend, ineffectual upper class lawyer Percy Atwater (Claud Allister), boards the ship and subdues the crew. Then he gets his long-awaited bout with Ludwig. Just as Winters is about to choke the life out of his hated foe, Inchcape shows him a letter in which Ludwig's sweetheart informs him that she will be sailing on the ''Alatania''. Ludwig received it after the sinking. Winters acknowledges that Ludwig has suffered enough and lets him go. Afterward, Winters forces Sykes to marry him and Inchcape, before having the lawyer tossed overboard.

Cast

As listed in the opening credits: * Alan Hale as Capt. Greg Winters * Clarence Wilson as Henry Sykes *

as Percy Atwater *

as Evelyn Inchcape *

Peter Erkelenz Peter Erkelenz (12 September 1897 – April 1966) was a German film actor. Selected filmography * '' Men Behind Bars'' (1931) * '' The Sea Ghost'' (1931) * ''Sacred Waters'' (1932) * '' Dream of the Rhine'' (1933) * '' The Star of Valencia'' (193 ...

as Capt. Karl Ludwig (as Peter Erkeleng) *William Nestell * Jack Richardson

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sea Ghost American drama films American black-and-white films Films set in 1925 World War I submarine films Films directed by William Nigh 1931 drama films 1931 films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films