Wake of the Red Witch
| Wake of the Red Witch | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Edward Ludwig |
| Produced by | Edmund Grainger |
| Screenplay by |
Harry Brown Kenneth Gamet |
| Based on |
Wake of the Red Witch by Garland Roark |
| Starring |
John Wayne Gail Russell Gig Young Adele Mara |
| Music by | Nathan Scott |
| Cinematography | Reggie Lanning |
| Edited by | Richard L. Van Enger |
|
Production
company |
Republic Pictures
|
| Distributed by | Republic Pictures |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,200,343 |
Wake of the Red Witch is a 1948 American action adventure film from Republic Pictures starring John Wayne and Gail Russell, produced by Edmund Grainger, and based upon the 1946 novel with the same name by Garland Roark. The supporting cast includes Gig Young, Adele Mara, and Luther Adler, and was directed by Edward Ludwig.
John Wayne stars as a sea captain in the early 1860s East Indies out for revenge against a wealthy shipping magnate.
The film is about an ongoing rivalry between two men of the sea: Mayrant Sidneye (Luther Adler) owner of the shipping company Batjak Limited, and Captain Ralls (John Wayne).
The first part of the film depicts Captain Ralls as the ruthless master (captain) of the Red Witch, Batjak's flagship. For reasons not entirely clear, Ralls deliberately wrecks and sinks the Red Witch and its cargo of gold bullion worth five million dollars. He escapes a charge of barratry when Batjak unexpectedly withdraws its complaint.
Ralls and his first mate Sam Rosen (Gig Young) spend some time as fishermen on a schooner. They eventually follow a treasure map to an uncharted island. They are greeted on the island by Sidneye, the map turning out to be a ploy to lure Ralls to the island so Sidneye can deal with Ralls in his own way.
The film then uses a series of flashbacks to describe how Ralls and Sidneye first met and how Ralls became captain of the Red Witch. Specifically, it is revealed that both Ralls and Sidneye fell in love with the same beautiful woman, Angelique (Gail Russell). When Ralls accidentally killed Angelique's uncle, Angelique married Sidneye even though Ralls is the man she really loved. However, when Angelique became ill and was dying, she somehow got word to Ralls and he returned to the island. Angelique dies in his arms soon after he arrives. It is strongly hinted that Ralls's deliberate sinking of the Red Witch was an act of revenge against Sidneye for depriving him of the woman he loved.
...
Wikipedia