Tuna Clipper

Tuna Clipper is a 1949 American drama film directed by William Beaudine and starring Roddy McDowall, Elena Verdugo and Roland Winters. It was one of a series of films McDowall made for Monogram.^[1]

Tuna Clipper
Directed by	William Beaudine
Written by	Scott Darling
Produced by	Lindsley Parsons
Starring	Roddy McDowall Elena Verdugo Roland Winters Peter Mamakos
Cinematography	William A. Sickner
Edited by	Ace Herman
Music by	Edward J. Kay
Production company	Monogram Pictures
Distributed by	Monogram Pictures
Release date	April 10, 1949 (1949-04-10)
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Plot

A young man goes to work on a tuna boat to earn money to pay off debts. When his friend Frankie Pereira fails to place the wager of a ruffian named Ransom at the racetrack and the 10-to-1 longshot wins, Alec MacLennan is left holding the bag after Frankie flees. Forced to pay off the debt, Alec takes a job on the Pereira family's tuna fishing boat.

Frankie's tough brother Silvestre objects to Alec's presence and bullies him. After a while, their sister Bianca notices that the hard-working Alec never has any of his salary. She finds out how he is being extorted by Ransom, who is doing likewise to her brother after finding Frankie working as a stable boy at the track. Ransom's chicanery discovered, Alec is forgiven by all.

Cast

• Roddy McDowall as Alec MacLennan
• Elena Verdugo as Bianca Pereira
• Roland Winters as E.J. Ransom
• Peter Mamakos as Capt. Manuel Pereira
• Rick Vallin as Silvestre Pereira
• Michael Vallon as Papa Pereira
• Russell Simpson as Capt. Fergus MacLennan
• Doris Kemper as Anne MacLennan
• Dickie Moore as Frankie Pereira
• Richard Avonde as Pete, a Pereira crewman
• Victor Sen Yung as Oriental Dock Worker

Reception

The film was reviewed by François Truffaut who described it as "A scenario whose charm lies in its modesty and honesty".^[2]