The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea (1934) This was 1934’s version of The Love Boat, I guess. Victor McLaglan, John Gilbert, and a lot of the leading character actors of the day embark on a pleasure cruise, where a lot of stories unfold. It was Gilbert’s last film; after this he drank himself to death, a project he had embarked on a long time ago. Ironically, he played a character who was on the voyage to kick the booze, just as Gilbert himself was trying to do. But he was surrounded by heavy drinkers, including McLaglan, and they all got plastered all day long. Tidbit from the IMDb: Keeping the cast sober proved impossible, even while filming at sea. In a rage at the mounting expenditures, Columbia president Harry Cohn telegraphed director Milestone, ‘Return to studio. The cost is staggering.’ Milestone wired back, ‘So is the cast!’ It’s a minor effort from all involved, but fun to watch.