Isle of Fury (1936)

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

While watching this film, I couldn't help but marvel that in different parts of his career, Humphrey Bogart starred in what may have been Warner Brothers' best film ever ("Casablanca") and its worst film ever -- this one! I don't know if it's true what another of our reviewers said, but I can believe that Bogart once denied he ever made this film...it's that bad. This almost primitive film was made in 1936...just 3 years before Hollywood's landmark year of 1939, yet it looks like something from the late 1920s or very early 1930s. This isn't even a "B" picture...definitely an "F" picture! And if you don't believe me, just watch the scene where the wonderfully fake looking octopus attacks Bogie; here's looking at you, kid! The trouble is that this film could have been pretty decent. A man with a less than stellar past is on the lam in the South Seas where he has turned over a new leaf (that's Bogart). At the beginning of the flick, he is getting married to Margaret Lindsay. In a storm (some good footage here), a ship wrecks on the reef, and a young man is saved (Donald Woods). That young man is secretly there to arrest Bogart, but he becomes his friend and falls in love with his wife.But the biggest problem here is the acting. Humphrey Bogart is "okay" in some scenes, and very awkward in others. He is not alone! Margaret Lindsay may be the only one in the cast that did a pretty good job, although Donald Woods was not too bad (nor was he too good). E.E. Clive, as the doctor, seemed to have trouble talking. Paul Graetz as the captain...how did he ever get in pictures? No one else impressed, either.There's really only one reason to watch this film...because it is so very bad it's entertaining. Somehow, the next time I see the beginning of a Warner Brothers picture, and they have that logo with "As Time Goes By" in the background, I'm going to think of this film.

...this is your film. I'm giving it four stars just based on the fact that the three leads - Humphrey Bogart, Margaret Lindsay, and Donald Woods managed to carry this thing as well as they did. The film opens on a wedding between Val Stevens (Humphrey Bogart) and Lucille Gordon (Margaret Lindsay), with Lucille having all the enthusiasm of someone who is using her life savings as a down payment on buying a house that she just doesn't like. The way WB has Bogart made up will make you realize why she feels that way if you don't just laugh out loud - bad perm AND bad mustache with bad perm. Donald Woods is the mysterious handsome stranger that shipwrecks on Val and Lucille's tropical island and almost interrupts the ceremony. When Woods' character regains consciousness after being rescued, he instantly begins giving reluctant bride Lucille bedroom eyes. If you think you know where this thing is headed from the beginning you'd probably be right, so I'm going to stop right there and let you watch and find out what happens. Just don't nod off and miss the hilarious scene of Bogart wrestling with a fake octopus that looks like it is right out of Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster. I've seen Bogart in some odd films given his later film persona - the rather experimental "Midnight" and the early talkie "Bad Sister" - but this is the only truly bad film in which I've seen him, and by bad I mean dull and predictable.

With a quick "I Do" and a hasty good bye kiss, Val Stevens (Humphrey Bogart) takes off to save a handful of sailors caught in a furious tropical storm off the island of Tankana, the "Isle of Fury" of the title. With a look that asks "Did I do the right thing?", wife Lucille (Margaret Lindsay) questions her circumstances even more following the rescue of Eric Blake (Donald Woods), a handsome man who begins to fall for Lucille as the film progresses. In a desperate attempt to keep his pearl diving business alive and pay off their island home, Val is blind to his new wife's insecurity, and even encourages Eric to spend time with Lucille as he recuperates.The moral conscience of the film is provided by Doc Hardy (E.E. Clive), a friend of the Stevens', who inserts sage advice at appropriate times, even recounting at one point the Biblical story of David and Bathsheba. It was David who sent Bathsheba's warrior husband off to war to be killed, so he could take up with the widow.In the film's back story, Tankana's nearby island natives are refusing to dive for Val, following the disappearance of two villagers in the waters off the island. To prove there is nothing to fear, Val himself dons diving gear and heads for open water as the watchful natives stare in anticipation.Pay attention as Val and Eric prepare to head off to the natives' island. As Eric greets Val with "Good morning, Skipper", Val responds to Eric with a hearty "Good morning Val". Neither actor batted an eye, nor apparently did the director, as the scene remained in the film.Val's deep sea dive turns unintentionally funny as just behind him and unseen, a rather awkward looking octopus is revealed to be the cause of the natives' fears. Going hand to tentacle in unarmed combat, Val is a sure goner when his lifeline and oxygen supply both rip free of the fishing boat. Eric proves heroic, diving into the deep to defeat the beast and save Val from certain death.In a gesture of generosity, Val offers Eric a 50/50 partnership in the diving business to remain behind, but heeding the good Doc's advice, Eric knows he must return to civilization. After all, Eric is the law, and Val was his fugitive quarry, on the run from authorities following the death of a man, though it's not clearly established whether Val was actually guilty or not. What matters is that Eric doesn't think so, having seen Val act with honor and integrity on Tankana.Though still early in his career, Humphrey Bogart had appeared in about a dozen films by the time "Isle of Fury" was released. Following his career progress through the early films, one recognizes a more and more confident actor, though this film suffers from awkward editing at times. That's no less a recommendation though, do see it if you can find a copy of this unreleased Warner Brothers adventure, or stay attentive to classic movie cable listings.

An interesting south seas island adventure & romance with a young Humphrey Bogart in a uncharacteristic early leading role as a fugitive on the run but now living an honest & reformed life as a romantic adventurer. The movie has a rather good plot with some twists & surprises, a young handsome detective sent to get Bogart is suspected of being a fugitive & we discover later that Bogart is the real fugitive instead. Bogart is very convincing & authoritative & even romantic in his role, a foreshadow of things to come. He even sports a mustache. This film bears a slight resemblance to "Red Dust", it has all the earmarks of a Clark Gable vehicle. The only weak aspect of the film is the ridiculous & laughable scene where Bogart gets attacked by an octopus while diving during a pearl hunting expedition. Bogart later denied ever making this movie, but the evidence is there & has survived. The scene would've had much more stronger impact if Bogart got attacked by a shark instead of an octopus. This movie will appeal to die hard Bogart fans as well as to film buffs of B movies & obscure, forgotten movies. For only 60 minutes running time it's worth a viewing if you can find it. Good Luck!!!!!