Eight Bells
Cast & Crew
Read More
Roy William Neill
Director
Ann Sothern
Marge Walker
Ralph Bellamy
Steve Andrews
John Buckler
Roy Dale
Catharine Doucet
Aunt Susan
Arthur Hohl
Williams
Film Details
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Release Date
Apr
11,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Eight Bells by Percy G. Mandley (New York, 28 Oct 1933) and the novel Eight Bells by Percy G. Mandley (New York, 1934).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 9m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels
Synopsis
Steamship line owner Walker, hoping to receive a five-year contract with a Chinese railroad, agrees to deliver a cargo to Shanghai, although the penalty for being late will be five thousand dollars for each day over schedule. Meanwhile, Walker's fiery daughter Marge becomes engaged to Roy Dale, the first mate of their biggest passenger ship. Although seretly pleased, Walker knows that the rebellious Marge needs to be put in her place, so he sends Roy with the cargo to China. Aboard the freighter Combermere , Roy takes over from Captain Steve Andrews, who becomes chief officer. To be with Roy, Marge stows away on the ship, together with her Aunt Susan. Steve finds them, and does little to hide his contempt for the imperious stowaways. Roy, who is unfamiliar with freighters, and also a poor seaman, orders a course through a dangerous storm area, despite Steve's warning. When the ship is hit by a hurricane, the radio operator is killed by debris, and Roy becomes so fearful that Steve is forced to take over. As the vessel begins to sink, Roy urges Steve to save the women, and places them, along with himself and two sailors, into the lifeboat. Overhearing the plan, the crew mutiny and demand that lots be drawn to see who will go in the small lifeboat, which can only hold ten people. Steve refuses to participate, and Marge and her aunt, unhappy with Roy, side with Steve. They influence the crew to remain aboard and keep the ship afloat. Days later, the Combermere arrives in Shanghai on schedule. Roy frees Marge from their engagement, as she is now in love with Steve, who happily agrees to marry her.
Director
Roy William Neill
Director
Cast
Ann Sothern
Marge Walker
Ralph Bellamy
Steve Andrews
John Buckler
Roy Dale
Catharine Doucet
Aunt Susan
Arthur Hohl
Williams
Franklin Pangborn
Finch
John Darrow
Carl
Emerson Treacy
Reynolds ("Sparks")
Addison Richards
Tracey
David Clyde
MacIntyre
Spencer Charters
Walker
Joseph Sauers
Gates
Joseph Singer
Petrov
Arthur Rankin
White
Keye Luke
Interpreter
Pat West
Eddy
John Lester Johnson
Sam
George Regas
Pedro
Dick Wessel
Bosun
Sidney Bracy
Gleason
Herbert Heywood
Second engineer
Pat Flaherty
Mike
James T. Mack
Office manager
James Wang
Chinese man
Wong Chung
Chinese man
Bert Starkey
Seaman
Glen Parks
Seaman
Joe Rivers
Seaman
Albert Johnson
Seaman
Irving Newhoff
Seaman
Ed Randall
Seaman
John Kascier
Seaman
Ned Winchester
Seaman
Dutch Hendrian
Seaman
William Sundholm
Seaman
Frank Meservey
Seaman
Jack Hill
Double for Arthur Hohl
Robert Littlefield
Secretary
Oscar Rudolph
Office boy
Charles King
Chauffeur
Lydia Knott
Sparks's mother
Ed Cecil
Valet
John Paul Jones
Purser
Crew
J. G. Bachman
Producer
Edward L. Bernds
Sound Engineer
Herbert J. Biberman
Dialogue Director
Arthur Black
Assistant Director
Chuck Bolean
Stand-in for Ralph Bellamy
Gene Havlick
Film Editor
Ethel Hill
Screenwriter
Bruce Manning
Screenwriter
Vic Scheurich
Operative Camera
Joseph Walker
Photography
John Wexley
Contr to trmt
Film Details
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Release Date
Apr
11,
1935
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Eight Bells by Percy G. Mandley (New York, 28 Oct 1933) and the novel Eight Bells by Percy G. Mandley (New York, 1934).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 9m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
7 reels
Articles
TCM Remembers - Ann Sothern
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
TCM Remembers - Ann Sothern
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Actor John Buckler also portrayed Roy Dale in the Broadway production of the play.
