Cargo to Capetown ** (1950, Broderick Crawford, Ellen Drew, John Ireland, Edgar Buchanan, Ted de Corsia) – Classic Movie Review 11,909

Director Earl McEvoy’s 1950 American Columbia Pictures black and white crime film noir Cargo to Capetown has a good star crew aboard with Broderick Crawford, Ellen Drew, John Ireland, Edgar Buchanan and Ted de Corsia. A tale of romantic rivalry, it is known as a Columbia noir.

Cargo to Capetown is a mundane, over-familiar ship-set melodrama, with a little fire under it lit by rusty oil-tanker captain Steve Conway (John Ireland) and chief engineer Johnny Phelan (Broderick Crawford), who battle it out over woman on board Kitty Mellar (Ellen Drew), who is actually engaged to Phelan (Crawford). There is a real fire aboard too and a storm, which provide a bit of welcome action.

Heavyweights Crawford and Ireland help the film to punch over its weight. Ellen Drew as Kitty Mellar, John Ireland as Steve Conway, Edgar Buchanan as ship’s mate Sam Bennett and Ted de Corsia as shifty matelot Rhys are also good value, helping to make the journey very tolerable.

The minor film reunites Crawford and Ireland, the stars of the previous year’s major hit All the King’s Men.

The sets are designed by Cary Odell.

The cast are Broderick Crawford as Johnny Phelan, Ellen Drew as Kitty Mellar, John Ireland as Steve Conway, Edgar Buchanan as Sam Bennett, Ted de Corsia as Rhys, Robert Espinoza as Rik, Leonard Strong as Singh, King Donovan, Gregory Gaye, and Frank Reicher.

Cargo to Capetown is directed by Earl McEvoy, runs 80 minutes, is made and released by Columbia Pictures, is written by Lionel Houser, is shot in black and white by Charles Lawton, is produced by Lionel Houser, is scored by Morris Stoloff and is designed by Cary Odell.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 11,909

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