It's a great movie title: Wake of the Red Witch. Try to say it really fast, 10 times in a row. Haha! Other than the title, unfortunately, I can't say there was much else I really enjoyed about the film. It's about the 19th century sea captain of the Red Witch, a mighty trading vessel in the East Indies. In the course of his adventures, Captain Ralls, played by John Wayne, finds himself out for revenge against a wealthy shipping magnate and lost in a plot filled with deep-seated hatred, corruption, and unforeseen twists of fate. There are also ship wreaks, deadly sea creatures, and lost treasures.
For some reason this film held some special significance for Wayne. He named his own production company, Batjac, after the fictional trading/shipping firm depicted in the film. And the Red Witch itself later became a symbol of his battle with cancer. He would go for medical checkups or treatments, and wonder aloud to friends whether the Red Witch was lying in wait for him.
Critics at the time were split in their opinions of the film. Some didn't liked it. Some did. And audiences must have agreed with the later since the movie held the number two spot on the national box office chart. But I don't think it's one I'll be adding to my own DVD collection. Sorry John.
3 movies down. 47 more to go.
2 comments:
The first movie in which he wore a toupee. FYI.
Shut up! That's awesome.
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