The good news is: * The production is visually lush and colorful. Very high production standards. * As others have pointed out, you get an idea of what kind of Scarlett O'Hara Paulette Goddard would have made. * This is definitely one of John Wayne's best roles.
The bad news here is: * Cecil B. DeMille was a great director, but he was definitely of another era, even in the 1940s. * Cecil B. DeMille was clearly jealous of Victor Fleming and David O. Selznick and their success with GWTW. * Paulette Goddard would have made a poor Scarlett O'Hara, unless all you wanted was a Scarlett who couldn't decide whether she was supposed to be a simpering and nauseating little fool or a female swashbuckler. * While Ray Milland does a good job here, it seems like an odd role for him.
The underwater diving scenes toward the climax of the film, while primitive by today's standards of special effects, are imaginative and stunning. Kudos!
There are quite a few great character actors in this film, although with the exception of Raymond Massey (as the ultimate bad guy), few have very big parts -- Robert Preston, Susan Hayward, Charles Bickford, and Louise Beavers (who is delightful). Milburn Stone of "Gunsmoke" is there too, although I missed him entirely. You'll also recognize Oscar Polk when you hear his voice -- one of the memorable slaves in GWTW.
This is a difficult film for me to rate. It is certainly not a "great film" (such as GWTW or "Ben-Hur" or even DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"), but it is entertaining. Recommended to be seen at least once.
The bad news here is: * Cecil B. DeMille was a great director, but he was definitely of another era, even in the 1940s. * Cecil B. DeMille was clearly jealous of Victor Fleming and David O. Selznick and their success with GWTW. * Paulette Goddard would have made a poor Scarlett O'Hara, unless all you wanted was a Scarlett who couldn't decide whether she was supposed to be a simpering and nauseating little fool or a female swashbuckler. * While Ray Milland does a good job here, it seems like an odd role for him.
The underwater diving scenes toward the climax of the film, while primitive by today's standards of special effects, are imaginative and stunning. Kudos!
There are quite a few great character actors in this film, although with the exception of Raymond Massey (as the ultimate bad guy), few have very big parts -- Robert Preston, Susan Hayward, Charles Bickford, and Louise Beavers (who is delightful). Milburn Stone of "Gunsmoke" is there too, although I missed him entirely. You'll also recognize Oscar Polk when you hear his voice -- one of the memorable slaves in GWTW.
This is a difficult film for me to rate. It is certainly not a "great film" (such as GWTW or "Ben-Hur" or even DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"), but it is entertaining. Recommended to be seen at least once.