The Silver Screen Oasis

I always forget what it is about this movie that makes it difficult to separate it from Reap the Wild Wind in my mind. I realized tonight that John Wayne is not the only common denominator in the two movies - that squid (or octopus, whatever) is also in both. Not to mention that these are two of the ONLY 5 or 6 out of all the movies JW made after Stagecoach in which he died on screen. Of course they are both sea faring movies, and I swear some of those underwater scenes are also in both movies.

Other than those similarities, they are two distinctly different movies (pause for a giggle). It has been so long since I last saw Red Witch, I had forgotten about the squid, and I racked my brain trying to recall what minor part Gig Young played until I saw he was in practically every scene. Therefore, I must have seen it when I was so young, I didn't even know who Gig was at the time.

I definitely prefer Reap the Wild Wind, but this is also a good one. Unfortunately, I don't see why Luther Adler considered JW guilty enough to be punished for anything. Luther caused all the trouble JW got into in the first place, pretty much unknowingly, he got the girl, and he kept his business where JW lost his ship, his girl, and nearly his life. There were a few parts that left something to be desired but on the whole, it moved fairly well, and held your interest.

Any comments?

Anne

Dear Anne,
I prefer The Wake of the Red Witch.In fact other than the John Ford directed Wayne pictures Witch is one of my favorite Wayne flicks, right after Red River . As for [/b] Reap the Wild Wind I consider it just another DeMille disaster, but Paulette is very fetching.

Hi Anne! I have ALWAYS confused those two movies! Ha! Watching Witch last night I, like you, think the squid scenes almost identical, except maybe the black-and-white movie made the monster look more realistic? Anyway, I had not remembered that there was so much location footage in this movie, making me regret it wasn't shot in color, like the de Mille picture was. I haven't seen Wind in a while but I don't remember it looking like it was shot on location as much.

The best part of this movie, though, for me is that it pairs Wayne with my favorite of his leading ladies (along with Maureen), Gail Russell. She's always so touchingly believable as being madly in love with him. And she was quite attached to him in real life, which adds poignancy.

Wish I had recorded it!

Thanks Ken123:

I wasn't considering directors, just the similarities in the two JW movies. We just don't meld on Reap though, because I thought Susan Hayward was the fetching one, more than Paulette - but I love Paulette.

Miss G:

How could you not tape it? Actually most of the footage in Reap was of the Florida Keys, Savannah, and swampland - mostly sea footage.

Gail Russell had that waif quality about her that I'm sure made the guys want to protect her. When she looks at her co-star, you would swear she's not acting at being in love, because I thought she had a crush on John Wayne until I saw her with Ray Milland in the Uninvited, and Randolph Scott in Seven Men from Now. She just puts over that childlike adoration.

Anne

I love the vulnerability Gail projects, because it does touch the heart and seldom had I seen Ray Milland quite so protective, too, as in The Uninvited.

In real life Gail was smitten with Wayne and though he never returned the affection romantically, was a loyal and supportive friend until the her tragic early death. His friendship even landed him in hot water during an already nasty divorce. Gail said he was one of the only men in Hollywood who did not try to take advantage of her.

Gail is so touching in Wake. I never fail to cry at this films endind & I have seen it at least 50 times.