The Sea Ghost (1931)
Directed by William Nigh, The Sea Ghost is a moody, low-budget maritime drama starring Alan Hale, Laura La Plante, and Clarence Wilson. Though modest in scope, the film blends post–World War I intrigue, salvage operations, and legal deception, all set against the backdrop of New Orleans harbor life. It was later re-released in 1939 under the title “U 67”, with added footage referencing German submarine warfare.
Plot Summary
Captain Greg Winters (Alan Hale), a disgraced naval officer court-martialed for disobeying orders during WWI, now captains a salvage ship in New Orleans. He crosses paths with Evelyn Inchcape (Laura La Plante), a cabaret owner and heir to a fortune, who is being manipulated by the scheming lawyer Henry Sykes (Clarence Wilson). As Winters investigates a sunken ship and uncovers wartime secrets, he becomes entangled in a web of deceit, inheritance fraud, and romantic tension.
The film builds toward a confrontation involving a former German submarine commander, a hidden treasure, and a battle of wits between Winters and Sykes. Though the pacing lags mid-film, it picks up with brawls, betrayals, and a resolution that restores Winters’s honor.
Cast Highlights
- Alan Hale as Captain Greg Winters
- Laura La Plante as Evelyn Inchcape
- Clarence Wilson as Henry Sykes
- Peter Erkelenz as Karl Ludwig (a former German sub commander)
- Claud Allister provides comic relief as a bumbling sidekick
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- This was the final starring role for silent film icon Laura La Plante and the last lead role for Alan Hale before he transitioned to character parts
- The film was reissued in 1939 as “U 67”, with added footage about German submarine threats, likely to capitalize on rising WWII tensions
- Early underwater scenes were reportedly filmed using a home aquarium, with visible tropical fish swimming past superimposed actors
- The film was part of a batch of 200+ independent features syndicated for early television in the 1940s, with documented broadcasts in New York, Fort Worth, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles
