South Sea Sinner
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Bruce Humberstone
Macdonald Carey
Shelley Winters
Luther Adler
Frank Lovejoy
Helena Carter
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
On board a ship in the South Seas, a sailor known as Smitty is struck by appendicitis, and Doc, the ship's physician, is forced to operate with only the help of some whiskey and an instruction manual. The sailor, whose real name is "Jake" Davis, survives the operation, but Doc insists that he be hospitalized when they land on the island of Oraca. At the hospital, Jake is visited by Cognac, a disreputable character who runs the Port of Hope nightclub. Cognac badgers Jake for information concerning his alleged deal with the Japanese for the sale of rubber during the war. Meanwhile, Coral, a singer at the Port of Hope, has been ordered deported on Doc's ship, but shortly after she boards, Cognac arrives and tells her that he has intervened with the authorities on her behalf. Doc, who has fallen in love with Coral, resigns his position and follows her back to the Port of Hope. Privately, Cognac asks Coral to find out what Jake knows. Coral strikes up a conversation with Jake and tells him the sad story of her youth. He then reveals that he has been charged with selling crude rubber to the Japanese and adds that although his accusers could not prove the charges, he could not disprove them. They begin an affair, and Jake, whose interest in life has been revived by Coral, decides to clear his name. Shortly afterward, officials of the American-Eurasian Rubber Company--Don Williams and his wife Kay, William Grayson and Andrews--arrive on Oraca, summoned by Cognac. Also in the party is Margaret Landis, Jake's former fiancée, who has always believed in Jake's innocence. Jake visits his former friends, and during their conversation, realizes that Williams had arranged to be out of town every time a rubber shipment was missing. After Jake leaves, Williams and Grayson discuss their fears that he will uncover their wartime activities. Their conversation is overheard by Lee, the company's native servant. Later, Cognac decides to blackmail Grayson. He then tells Coral he has access to a lot of money, but when he asks her to leave Oraca with him, she laughs in his face. That night, Jake attends a rubber company party with Coral. Margaret receives her graciously, but Coral pretends that she has come to entertain. While Coral gamely sings for the crowd, Jake tells Margaret his suspicions about Williams. Coral sees them together and, misunderstanding, leaves the party. Doc, who is waiting outside, notices Coral leaving and accuses Jake of throwing her over. A fight breaks out, and Jake is arrested. Not knowing that Jake is in jail, Cognac frames him for Grayson's murder. When Coral tells him about Jake's incarceration, Cognac reveals that he knows Grayson and Williams sold the rubber to the Japanese and offers to clear Jake's name if she helps him evade murder charges. Lee, who has followed Cognac, eavesdrops. When the police arrive, Cognac tells them that Grayson was with Coral when he shot himself. Jake is shocked and begs Coral to tell the truth, but out of love for him, she sticks to her story. Later, Margaret urges Coral to tell Jake what really happened, but Coral still keeps silent. The truth comes out, however, when Lee tells the police what she witnessed, and Cognac is arrested for Grayson's murder. Later, Doc leaves town with Coral. Margaret meets Coral at the boat to express her gratitude for what she has done for Jake. Jake then tells Margaret that he wants to forget Coral with her help.
Director
Bruce Humberstone
Cast
Macdonald Carey
Shelley Winters
Luther Adler
Frank Lovejoy
Helena Carter
Art Smith
John Ridgely
James Flavin
Molly Lamont
Silan Chen
Henry Kulky
Fred Nurney
Phil Nazir
Liberace
Fred Essler
Anthony Warde
Peter Leeds
Carl Sklover
Ray Bennett
Jimmy Ames
Dewey Robinson
Peter Mamakos
Juan Varro
Tony Barr
Michael Ansara
Victor Groves
Gregg Martell
Billy Louie
Dick Dickinson
Jean Hartelle
Tina Menard
Lester Dorr
Ethan Laidlaw
Frank Hagney
Elinor Van Derveer
Hazel Dohlman
Herbert Evans
Vera Burnett
Stewart Hall
Crew
Glenn Adams
Harold Belfer
Mickey Bennett
Oscar Brodney
Jack Brooks
John Brooks
Lew Brown
Leslie I. Carey
Jack Daniels
Harry Davis
Richard Deweese
Oliver Emert
Ladislas Fodor
Russ Frank
Russell A. Gausman
Maury Gertsman
Abe Haberman
Frederick Herbert
Bernard Herzbrun
William Holland
Arnold Hughes
Dorothy Hughes
Isham Jones
Gus Kahn
Ted J. Kent
Michel Kraike
Gilbert Kurland
Franz Liszt
Joel Malone
Joel Malone
Gale Mcgarry
Orry Kelly
Richard H. Riedel
Walter Scharf
Milton Schwarzwald
Joan St. Oegger
Laslo Vadnay
Albert Von Tilzer
Bud Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
While you were singing he couldn't keep his eyes off your voice.- Jake Davis
I'm no thinker, Mr. Davis. It's the poorest paying profession.- Coral
Trivia
Notes
The film's working titles were Java and East of Java. Pre-release Hollywood Reporter news items announced that Yvonne De Carlo was to star in the film. Dorothy Hart is credited with the part of "Margaret Landis" in the MPAA/PCA Collection at the AMPAS Library, but Helena Carter is listed in the onscreen credits. This film marked Liberace's motion picture debut. The flamboyant pianist appeared in a few other films, most notably as one of the stars of the 1955 Warner Bros. film Sincerely Yours. He hosted his own television variety program, The Liberace Show, from 1952-1955 and again in 1969.
