The Captain Hates the Sea

The Captain Hates the Sea is a 1934 comedy film directed by Lewis Milestone and released by Columbia Pictures.^[2][3] The film, which involves a Grand Hotel-style series of intertwining stories involving the passengers on a cruise ship, was the last feature film of silent film icon John Gilbert and the first Columbia feature to include The Three Stooges (Curly Howard, Moe Howard and Larry Fine) in the cast as the ship's orchestra. The film also stars Victor McLaglen, Arthur Treacher, Akim Tamiroff, Leon Errol and Walter Connolly.^[4][5]

The Captain Hates the Sea
Directed by	Lewis Milestone
Screenplay by	Wallace Smith Arnold Belgard
Based on	The Captain Hates the Sea 1933 novel by Wallace Smith
Produced by	Lewis Milestone
Starring	Victor McLaglen Wynne Gibson Alison Skipworth John Gilbert Helen Vinson
Cinematography	Joseph H. August
Edited by	Gene Milford
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	November 2, 1934 (1934-11-02)
Running time	92 minutes[1] 85 minutes (Sony Pictures Television Print)
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

Alcoholic newspaperman Steve Bramley boards the ship San Capador for a restful cruise, hoping to quit drinking and begin writing a book. Also on board are Steve's friend Schulte, a private detective hoping to nab criminal Danny Checkett with a fortune in stolen bonds. Steve begins drinking, all the while observing the various stories of other passengers on board, several of whom turn out not to be who they seem to be.

Cast

• Victor McLaglen - Junius P. Schulte
• Wynne Gibson - Mrs. Jeddock
• Alison Skipworth - Mrs. Yolanda Magruder
• John Gilbert - Steve Bramley
• Helen Vinson - Janet Grayson
• Fred Keating - Danny Checkett
• Leon Errol - Layton
• Walter Connolly - Captain Helquist
• Tala Birell - Gerta Klangi
• Walter Catlett - Joe Silvers
• John Wray – Mr. Jeddock
• Claude Gillingwater – Judge Griswold
• Emily Fitzroy – Mrs. Victoria Griswold
• Donald Meek - Josephus Bushmills
• Luis Alberni – Juan Gilboa
• Akim Tamiroff – General Salazaro
• Arthur Treacher – Major Warringforth
• Inez Courtney – Flo
• G. Pat Collins – Donlin
• The Three Stooges – Orchestra Musicians

Production

During production, the film went over budget due in large part to the alcohol-fueled partying by Gilbert, McLaglen, Errol, Catlett and Connolly. Harry Cohn, the head of Columbia, became alarmed and sent a cable to Lewis Milestone that read: "Hurry up! The cost is staggering!" Milestone, in turn, sent a cable to Cohn that read: "So is the cast!"^[6][7]

The exterior footage of the San Capeador (filmed at San Pedro Harbor) would be recycled in the Three Stooges' short Dunked in the Deep.^[8]

A DVD of The Captain Hates the Sea was released on August 2, 2011, by Sony.^[5]