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In 1942, in REAP THE WILD WIND, John Wayne plays a sea captain who deliberately wrecks his ship in order to salvage the cargo and get revenge on the ship's owner who wants to marry Wayne's girlfriend; he also fights a giant squid while deep-sea diving. In 1948, in WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, John Wayne again plays a sea captain who deliberately wrecks his ship, for the same reasons. This time out, he fights a giant octopus (similar to a squid but not identical); he is diving without oxygen at the time, although later he does go deep-sea diving, using the same equipment that was used [by his co-star] in the earlier movie. Did I mention both films include a courtroom scene, and both are set around 1860? For two films that sound, on the surface, nearly identical, they couldn't be more different. The main difference is in John Wayne's character. In REAP THE WILD WIND, he's a good-hearted young man who makes an impulsive poor choice and later regrets it. In WAKE OF THE RED WITCH, Wayne's Captain Ralls is unscrupulous. He habitually lies, steals, drinks, kills, and double-crosses. His redeeming features are that he's sexy (his romantic rival is older and unattractive); he saves a boy from drowning (but let's not forget that he told the boy to jump in the water in the first place); and he truly loves Angelique (although he does try to rape her). Angelique loves Ralls, possibly because her other suitor, Sydney, is even more greedy, cruel, and conniving than Ralls --- and let's not forget old and unattractive! This is a fascinating film, partly because it tries to sell Ralls as hero and Sydney as villain when they are really quite similar. Because there are no purely good or purely evil characters here, the storyline is unpredictable. A must-see!Read full review
This is a great movie. It is also one of eight movies that John Wayne is killed in, and one of two movies that he is killed deep sea diving. This classic 1948 black & white movie is based on the best selling contemporary novel by the same title, which was published two years earlier. John Wayne plays a Dutch sea captain who falls in love with Gail Russell's character. They also were together in "The Angel And The Badman". Anyhow, most of the movie is told through flashbacks by conflicting characters at ends with each others. It differs from the novel in several ways (as many novels and movies do). There is lots of action and adventure on the high seas in the lush South Pacific Ocean. The exciting climax takes place on the wreck of the RED WITCH. The ending is very similar to that of John Wayne's previous movie "REAP THE WILD WIND". Even the same diving gear was used, but in "WAKE OF THE RED WITCH"; John Wayne uses the helmet used by "REAP THE WILD WIND" co-star Ray Milland in that particular movie. To all you diving equipment historians and collectors (such as this reviewer) out there...no one knows who made the helmets for these movies. They are made to look 1800's style, but are obviously 1940's made. Also, John Wayne did not actually do the diving in this movie, as he had in "REAP THE WILD WIND". Any scene of John Wayne underwater; never reveals his face. When it does; it is a close-up of his face through the face-window of the helmet, that was filmed top-side. The diving also is clearly animated with the scene of John Wayne's character, Ralls, descending what looks to be several hundred feet down to the wreck with the mainmast still intact. Also, when the lifeline and hose are severed; his helmet floods, which is also not what would actually happen, except of course, in a Hollywood movie. There is also a digitally colorized version of this movie, but this is the better version. This reviewer prefers color movies, but only if they were originally filmed in color. "WAKE OF THE RED WITCH" would have been even more fantastic if having been filmed in color, as was the earlier 1942 "REAP THE WILD WIND". Anyhow, this reviewer gives "WAKE OF THE RED WITCH" a 5 star rating for a cassic film. Two thumbs up!Read full review
A very good thriller type movie where one man sets out to destroy another man from getting the treasure of gold in this wrecked ship. Only John Wayne dies in the bottom of the ship as it slides down deeper in the ocean.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I’ma big John Wayne western fan and with this sea captan movie along with Blood Alley and Sea Chase I’m now a nautical fan also. With Angel and the Badman I became a big fan of Gail Russel ; that’s the main reason I got Red Witch. Then the rest followed.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
disc perfect in case , no problems , classic , one of John Wayne best
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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