Set in World War 2 Philippines, a diverse group of people try to escape the Japanese invasion by sea in a patchwork small ship. I saw the movie on youtube and it was a very good print. The cinematography was the best part of the film, it is a well shot film with beautiful black and white scenery. The plot moves quickly and follows a logical if cliched progression. However, the characters are little more than stereotypes and some of the dialogue is very corny. It is a very average action war film, it is enjoyable escapism if you do not expect too much.
5 Reviews
A lot to like, a lot to hate.
planktonrules21 June 2018
The story idea for "Ghost of the China Sea" is very good and it intrigued me. Sadly, however, some of the writing was disappointing--with some very cliched characters as well as their dialog.
The film begins just after the Japanese invaded the Philippines during World War II. The American and Filipino forces are in retreat and the movie is about a rag-tag group of civilians and a navy seaman as they try to avoid the Japanese and make it to safety.
The best thing about this film is the leader of the group, played by David Brian. His character is tough, cynical and a bit blood-thirsty....as he smiles as his men machine gun a group of Japanese prisoners! But the rest of the characters are pretty terrible. There's the female who is only there to look nice and to be a love interest for the hero and the preacher--both of which say the dumbest things and COULD have been interesting characters. Overall, a mixed bag that doesn't amount to a rousing film nor one I can wholeheartedly endorse.
By the way, early in the film the group is being held prisoner by a lone Japanese private. The man who plays the private is Kam Fong--the guy who played Chin Ho Kelly on "Hawaii Five-O" for about a decade.
The film begins just after the Japanese invaded the Philippines during World War II. The American and Filipino forces are in retreat and the movie is about a rag-tag group of civilians and a navy seaman as they try to avoid the Japanese and make it to safety.
The best thing about this film is the leader of the group, played by David Brian. His character is tough, cynical and a bit blood-thirsty....as he smiles as his men machine gun a group of Japanese prisoners! But the rest of the characters are pretty terrible. There's the female who is only there to look nice and to be a love interest for the hero and the preacher--both of which say the dumbest things and COULD have been interesting characters. Overall, a mixed bag that doesn't amount to a rousing film nor one I can wholeheartedly endorse.
By the way, early in the film the group is being held prisoner by a lone Japanese private. The man who plays the private is Kam Fong--the guy who played Chin Ho Kelly on "Hawaii Five-O" for about a decade.
War movie in which supporting characters carry it
drystyx25 August 2021
This is a pretty routine war movie, the sort that doesn't take any risks, giving us the stereotypical ugly American hero that you can't possibly like, and surrounding him with better characters.
Like many such movies, it is the "supporting characters" that are needed to carry the film. There are a fairly decent amount of them, and they're mostly credible characters once you get past the Hollywood hero and heroine.
It isn't a great war movie, but it is very watchable. Even when there isn't action, the direction gives us the illusion of action, thus it seems to be very action packed. A sign of good directing.
Like many such movies, it is the "supporting characters" that are needed to carry the film. There are a fairly decent amount of them, and they're mostly credible characters once you get past the Hollywood hero and heroine.
It isn't a great war movie, but it is very watchable. Even when there isn't action, the direction gives us the illusion of action, thus it seems to be very action packed. A sign of good directing.
Don't bother the ghost.
searchanddestroy-128 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
There is no more ghost here than there was a Jew in Hitler's office !!
It's not a horror flick we're talking about, but a good old war adventure that takes place during WW 2 in the Philippines. A group of Americans are surprised during the war and try to escape from the Japanese army. It's not a masterpiece, as you can guess. But it's rather entertaining, well paced and the characters are not so bad described. But there is no amazing sequences, just a little stock shots during battle moments. David Brian has the lead and this was Fred F Sears final picture.
That's all folks.
I think this film came from a 16 mm print. Not from a TV taping off.
It's not a horror flick we're talking about, but a good old war adventure that takes place during WW 2 in the Philippines. A group of Americans are surprised during the war and try to escape from the Japanese army. It's not a masterpiece, as you can guess. But it's rather entertaining, well paced and the characters are not so bad described. But there is no amazing sequences, just a little stock shots during battle moments. David Brian has the lead and this was Fred F Sears final picture.
That's all folks.
I think this film came from a 16 mm print. Not from a TV taping off.
Far too much philosophy that it ends up becoming almost a comedy.
mark.waltz5 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Veteran B actor David Brian seems to be playing a variation of the Ronald Colman character from "Lost Horizon" combined with Humphrey Bogart in the African queen as he tries to get out of the Philippine islands on a relic of a ship called the USS Frankenstein. He's also rather arrogant like the Tyrone power character in "Abandon Ship", and at one point seems to be spouting so much philosophy analysing everybody that has joined his group that you want to yell at the screen for him to shut up. It's quite an adventure that he goes through with the varying personalities who aid him and the pretty American landowner Lynette Bernay and battling hidden Japanese soldiers on the various islands they stop at oh, and there is one death in particular that comes off as unintentionally comical. Suggestions of a romance growing between Brian and Bernay is eye-rolling, especially with the number of young soldiers who joined the group. Not even one looks at her with anything other than friendship and survival on their mind.
This is one of those obscure post-war dramas that tried to show a different aspect of life in the war and ends up deservedly being forgotten. Certainly there are some moments that are truly enjoyable, and out of curiosity, the audience does want to know what happens to everybody aboard this old vessel that wouldn't have made it 10 miles let alone throw the various seas that it travels through. The varying characters range from the kindly missionary who explains to Brian the philosophical difference between him and Betnay, a Chinese citizen whose destiny it seems to be to end up dead before the movie is over and a couple of wild men hippie types her seem to be out to get their groove on as they go from adventure to adventure, at one point coming off like a 1950s version of Cheech and Chong. There's also some Island natives who for some reason hate the Japanese and act like stereotypical native American savages from old westerns in their attacks on the enemy. this is the type of film that I can't imagine older people back in the day looking at each other as it ended and saying yeah all right as they rolled their eyes.
This is one of those obscure post-war dramas that tried to show a different aspect of life in the war and ends up deservedly being forgotten. Certainly there are some moments that are truly enjoyable, and out of curiosity, the audience does want to know what happens to everybody aboard this old vessel that wouldn't have made it 10 miles let alone throw the various seas that it travels through. The varying characters range from the kindly missionary who explains to Brian the philosophical difference between him and Betnay, a Chinese citizen whose destiny it seems to be to end up dead before the movie is over and a couple of wild men hippie types her seem to be out to get their groove on as they go from adventure to adventure, at one point coming off like a 1950s version of Cheech and Chong. There's also some Island natives who for some reason hate the Japanese and act like stereotypical native American savages from old westerns in their attacks on the enemy. this is the type of film that I can't imagine older people back in the day looking at each other as it ended and saying yeah all right as they rolled their eyes.
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