The Blood Ship

The Brief

This is a true gem – a surprisingly intense and highly entertaining American silent film from 1927 that was nearly impossible to see for decades, and therefore never received the recognition it undoubtedly deserves. The Blood Ship tells the story of a ruthless and unsympathetic ship captain who treats his crew so poorly that they abandon the vessel before receiving their pay – something the captain considers a perfectly acceptable solution. In San Francisco, he sets out to “shanghai” a new crew, recruiting them from a bar run by the shady character known as The Knitting Swede. His method is simple: get the men drunk, drag them aboard, and set sail before they wake up and can escape. But things do not go according to plan. In San Francisco, James Newman appears – a childhood friend of the captain. It soon becomes clear that the captain has stolen Newman’s wife and daughter while Newman himself was imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Now, it is time for revenge. The Blood Ship is a tight and gripping film, filled with strong characters and an action-driven plot with no dull moments. Alongside the despicable captain and the vengeful Newman, we meet Jacqueline Logan as Mary, and not least Blue Washington, an African American actor who – despite being stereotypically credited as “The Negro” – plays a crucial role in the drama. The film is based on a novel by Norman Springer, which Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described as “the greatest sea tale I ever read.” The French director Marcel Carné (Le Jour Se Lève, Children of Paradise) also praised the film, noting: “It is worth highlighting the film’s remarkable cinematography, which stands as one of its greatest strengths.”