Gambling on the High Seas (1940) User Reviews

B movie from 1940

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 8 May 2013]

Wayne Morris stars with Jane Wyman and Gilbert Roland in "Gambling on the High Seas," a 1940 second feature from Warner Brothers.

Morris plays a reporter,Jim Carter and Roland is Morella, a crook who runs a gambling ship with rigged tables. The authorities haven't been able to get enough evidence to convict him. Carter approaches Morella's secretary, Laurie, who knows plenty. Carter wants proof of the fixed games and also evidence that Morella had his partner, Max Gates, murdered.

Wayne Morris had all kinds of problems with Warner Brothers, and even lost out on the Burt Lancaster role in "The Killers" because Warners wouldn't lend him out. It's a shame - he was cute, had a nice, light presence, and was very boyish. He became well known for westerns until his untimely death. Wyman is blond, young, and beautiful, and does a good job as Laurie. Gilbert Roland is incredibly handsome as the cruel Morella and is also very good.

Nice cast, very short film, decent story.

Early Jane Wyman

[misctidsandbits · 5/10 · 6 January 2012]

Found out that Jane Wyman's 30's and early 40 pictures were interesting, so caught this dark horse recently. She does that snappy dialog like no other. There was a lot more of it in some of the detective venues she did for a while ("Crime by Night," "Private Detective"). Old story of an actress/actor getting started in a type, doing it well, and then getting stuck there. It's a wonder they break out, but we know she did. After being featured in this type of picture, Ms. Wyman moved up to better ones, playing the female star's girlfriend and similar for a while. Always strong, more energetic and assertive than her later starring dramatic roles. Of course, there are others of interest in the subject picture. It's a programmer actually, with some good actors on their way up. Those can be a bit of a find at times. The Gilbert Roland character was a change from what we have gotten used to seeing from him. Low key, understated performance. Kind of a relief from the more typical volatile crime boss type. Interesting picture to me for these reasons.

I was rooting for the bad guy

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 2 May 2017]

Strange B crime picture from Warner Bros. starring Wayne Morris as a cocky reporter out to bring down Gilbert Roland, a gangster who runs a floating casino. The weird thing about this one is that Roland's character seems like a pretty OK guy, as far as murdering gangsters go. We only see him kill or even threaten people who threaten him first, and he is pretty nice to those who are nice to him. This includes our rat hero, who has a smug grin plastered on his face throughout the picture that made me root for him to fail at every turn. Basically the whole film is Roland being nice to Morris while Morris plots his demise behind his back. Some hero. Oh and Jane Wyman is around counting the minutes until her inevitable kidnapping and rescue. She's a rat, too, so the whole thing just feels weird, you know? We have a picture where the gangster is a pleasant enough fellow if you don't cross him and the hero is an unsavory rat gleefully plotting the downfall of a guy who, at least by what we're shown on screen, is not that bad. Strange but worth a look.

This is a B version of what was originally an A picture.

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 3 May 2017]

"Gambling on the High Seas" is a B movie remake of "Special Agent". "Special Agent" was an A picture. So what the difference between an A and a B? Back in the 1930s and 40s, movie theaters usually showed a double-feature--two full-length films. The shorter and usually much cheaper film was called the B-movie, the more prestigious, longer and bigger budgeted picture was an A. So, while the original clocks in at about 80 minutes, this remake is less than an hour in length. In addition, the actors are not quite the same level in quality and pay as the original...though for a B, "Gambling on the High Seas" is much better than average, with Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman starring in the flick.

Morella (Gilbert Roland) operates an off-shore gambling ship. Because of its location, it is exempt from US law...and folks can gamble at will. However, Morella is a hood...and in addition to having fixed tables, he and his men have been responsible for several murders. Nice-guy reporter Jim Carter (Morris) pretends to be playing both sides in order to cozy up to Morella, but he plans on doing his best to get Morella in prison. How he does this and who helps him, you'll just have to see for yourself.

The best things about this film is its brisk pace, dynamite action at the end of the movie, a decent plot and some very nice acting. My only complaint is that it's a remake...and the original was a bit better. Well worth seeing...and quite enjoyable.

Gilbert Roland Is Always Fun

[boblipton · 6/10 · 12 April 2022]

Gilbert Roland lounges -- although his hair sometimes looks like it's going to leap off his scalp and rend Wayne Morris, who's playing the fast-talking but depressed newspaperman. I don't know why he's depressed, since Jane Wyman is hot for him in her bleached blonde phase, and John Litel is around to add some gravitas.

Warner's crusading Bs were fairly tame and rote by this stage, but this one has a bit of energy.

It was made on the fly

[andynarce · 6/10 · 9 November 2022]

It's evident that 'Gambling on the High Seas' was filmed on the fly by Warner, as a double-feature movie for cinema theaters. They just took a successful movie from 5 years before ('Special Agent') and adapted it with really no pretensions.

The story is very good, for starters, about Jim, a crusader-reporter, engaged to end with the gang of Morella, spreading terror in their big town of New England.

The crooks are running a casino-cruiser in nearby international waters, so it's impossible for the authorities to catch them.

Beyond the premise, 'Gambling on the High Seas' is riddled with mistakes in the continuity of the events, in the names of the characters (one of the gangsters ended up played by two different actors), and in its many goofs.

Nonetheless, both technically and about the cast involved, the movie still flaunts all the expertise of Hollywood, and it's very entertaining.

fine little crime thriller

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 March 2021]

Greg Morella runs a crooked gambling ship just outside of the state's control. Investigative reporter Jim Carver is digging around for the rigged games. With the law coming down, boat manager Larry Brill turns stool pigeon and is murdered in a mob hit. Next, the D.A. targets Brill's assistant Max Gates. Carver recruits Morella's secretary Laurie Ogden.

It's a fine little crime thriller. It's nothing spectacular. I would like to add a mystery component to the movie. It's fine. It has some small action. It tries to be fun although the lighthearted aspect is not as intriguing. Carver should be a darker character and he should sell the danger.

Simple but energetic crime drama with reporter vs. gambler

[csteidler · 5/10 · 20 August 2012]

Jim Carver, ace reporter, announces his intention to go out and bring down the notorious gambler Morella. His boss tells him: "If you can, Jim, it'll be the greatest story the Journal ever had. But it'll be dangerous!"

Subtle dialog is not among this picture's strengths, but a decent energy level and an interesting cast keep it entertaining.

Gilbert Roland is quite smooth as Morella, the professional criminal who has set up an offshore gambling ship just outside the three-mile police enforcement limit. Everybody knows that Morella is a crook—and is behind at least one murder—but nobody can prove it.

Wayne Morris is big and smiley as reporter Jim; although likable enough, Morris is so cheerful and spouts that good corny dialog with such eagerness that sometimes it's hard not to laugh. For example, when his girlfriend is kidnapped: "I got Laurie into this mess, and if I ever expect her to become Mrs. Jim Carver, I gotta get her out of it."

Jane Wyman is Laurie, the spunky girlfriend who works right on board the gambling ship as Morella's secretary. Wyman hardly appears in the first half of the picture; it's no coincidence that the movie's second half, with Wyman as a major character, is faster moving and just generally much snappier.

Plot and dialog so-so, cast giving it their best shot anyway….It's no classic but that Warner Bros. punch still makes for an entertaining enough 55 minutes.

My favorite exchange— Morris: "You don't pay enough attention to me." Wyman: "What do you want for nothing?"

The last thing that America needs is a Commander-in-Chief elevated from the ranks . . .

[oscaralbert · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

. . . of casino proprietor hoodlums, the prophetic prognosticators of the always eponymous Warner Bros. Warn we citizens of the (then) far future with GAMBLING ON THE HIGH SEAS. Compulsive liars like this flick's villain--Greg--continually yak about "The Art of the Deal" while actually practicing The Crime of the Steal, argue the Warner seers. The U. S. Democratic bedrock principle encompassing the peaceful transfer of power is anathema to such ruthless thugs, so if they're allowed into the White House they will inevitably foment cop killings, murder and mayhem before they can be rooted out from the seat of government, warn the Warner clairvoyants. Since the USA is cursed with millions of genetically defective "core supporters" biologically programmed to be easily bamboozled by any glib prevaricator who happens along (because their frontal lobes lack the critical thinking gland), our beleaguered Homeland is doomed to devastation, ruin and decay, according to the sage Warner savants sounding alarms here.

Take it or leave it - no harm done either way

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 9 July 2013]

"Gambling On The High Seas" is a painless programmer that's so short (barely 55 minutes) it was probably always destined to be part of a double feature. Jane Wyman, who is second-billed, has a secondary part and barely even appears in the first half; the lead (Wayne Morris) is also the blandest person in the film, and his character poses two different credibility problems: it's hard to believe that the police and the district attorney would send a newspaper reporter to do so much of their dirty work, just as it's hard to believe that a smart gambling racketeer (a well-cast Gilbert Roland) would trust a newspaper reporter with so many of his guilty secrets no matter how "neutral" the reporter seems to be. The film is mostly talk, but it does climax with a fair boat chase. ** out of 4.

Good performances make this one a winner

[non_sportcardandy · 10/10 · 14 September 2005]

Usually when going over the TV schedule I wouldn't go out of my way to watch this kind of movie but with some time to kill it was viewed.Although the plot was almost as simple as it gets..the law wanting to get evidence on the gangster so to put him in prison this movie was very good.It gets a high score even with the expected 1940's snappy talk and the unlikely semi-friendly relationship between the scoop reporter(Wayne morris)and the head gangster(Gilbert Roland).Most of the movies nice atmosphere takes place on a swanky gambling boat.State of the art,it's equipped with a bar,offices and telephones.Roland is a calm speaking crime boss but knows how to take care of business.He sends his boys out to take care of a squealer,they get this done despite a policeman being on each arm of the target.The shooter is able to do this from a distance because his gun has a special light on it.When the gun is fired there is no escaping for the person caught in the light beam,state of the art again.Greg Morella(Roland)has his act together all the way to city hall. When one of the employees from there shows Morella an important paper he took he gives him $10,000 without batting an eyelash.He then sends some of his efficient men to city hall to ransack the place so as to cover for the missing paper.In the next minute he informs his secretary to make a note of $10,000 spent for publicity.He does this so casually the viewer may not even be aware of his claiming an expense for the $10,000 pay-off.To my recollection this was my first time seeing the actor Roger Pryor, he has the part of Max Gates.For Morella he's a staff member/enforcer and a sharp cookie himself.Pryor's performance may of been the best in the movie.With a smooth voice and sometimes cocky manner it was entertaining to hear him refer to the customers as suckers and fish.He was equally talented to show fear when found in a tight spot,impressive.While watching this movie I found entertainment sources coming at me from different directions.The same Jane Wyman that was a proper lady hosting her own TV show and played innocent Johnny Belinda is a young blonde in this movie.Despite her goody-goody name-Laurie Ogden she plays Morella's secretary.She's not tough acting but does do her share of 1940's snappy talk.That along with the blonde hair is enough to keep the viewers attention, as in.."that's Jane Wyman?"Then there's Frank Ferguson doing a good part as the d.a. Not a houshold name he has many credits,I'll always remember him as the owner of the chamber of horrors in Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein's.He was very worried how a&c handled the crates that contained Frankenstein's and Dracula.The acting in this movie merits more compliments but I have to stop,entertaining,give it a chance.

Hurried remake

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 5 December 2019]

Gambling On The High Seas is a remake of the Bette Davis-George Brent-Ricardo Cortez film Special Agent. This version seemed to be done a real hurry like the players had to report to other and better films on the Warner Brothers lot.

Wayne Morris gets his girlfriend Jane Wyman to betray her boss Gilbert Roland a racketeer who runs a gambling ship beyond the 3 mile limit. Wyman didn't seem to take much convincing.

Gilbert Roland maybe looked the most bored of all the cast members. Usually a sparkling personality he displays none of the charm he is noted for either as a hero or a villain.

It's a bet that none of the three leads looked on this as the pinnacle of their careers.

Not as glamorous as it sounds.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 2 November 2018]

Poor Jane Wyman. Her early career at Warner Brothers typecast her as the constantly smiling, wise-cracking young lady, whether playing an army officer cadet's secret wife in "Brother Rat" or the very last Torchy Blane. Her luck didn't change until "The Lost Weekend" (after a very funny performance as the dingbat constantly smiling wife of Jack Carson in "The Doughgirls"), but before then, it didn't seem like she had much of a future together. She was playing the same type of role that Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell, Ann Sheridan and a number of other contract players had been portraying since Warner Brothers got Jolson to sing and talk on screen. Who would think that the future Johnny Belinda, sob queen ("Magnificent Obsession", "All That Heaven Allows") and wine baroness Angela Channing could have begun with such an auspicious start?

In this film, she's the constantly smiling, cheerful secretary to the head of a gambling ship (Gilbert Roland), a gangster her reporter boyfriend (Wayne Morris) wants to either clear or convict of the murder of a mob squealer. For a mobster, Roland is a pretty cool guy, and along with Frank Ferguson (billed way down the line as the D.A.), he gives the best performance in this bottom of the bill programmer that isn't really bad, but just reeks of familiarity. Wyman has one good scene where she explains to Morris why she's stuck working for Roland, but other than that, she's stuck with a bland part. With the title indicating "Gambling on the High Seas", I expected something a bit more along the lines of all those dazzling 1930's screwball comedies that showed high society at its most decadent. This film never rises above simple mediocrity, only showing signs of life when Roland is on screen, such as when Roland forces his way onto an elevator with a rifle ready to kill. Wyman becomes his target at one point, having been hinted at also betraying him, but it becomes far too obvious that at the very last moment, the hero (a bland Morris) will rush in to save the day. The conclusion is wrapped up so quickly that I had to wonder if other than the bad guys being captured if there really was a conclusion.

Competently Directed Crime Thriller

[zardoz-13 · 8/10 · 9 January 2017]

"Kid Nightingale" director George Amy doesn't squander a second in his crime reporter melodrama "Gambling on the High Seas" with Wayne Morris as the tireless journalist and Jane Wyman as his girlfriend. Gilbert Roland is cast as the suave but ruthless crime boss with his signature pencil mustache who operates a gambling ship beyond the three-mile limit. The authorities cannot touch Morella unless they can prove that his gambling equipment is rigged because that would constitute piracy. Morella is a pretty shrewd criminal. He exposes rats in his own employment who have cooked the books and tried to steal from him. More interestingly, he deals with gambler that might create grief for him. One example is a stockbroker who Morella's minions suspect has been losing heavily with funds taken from his employers. Morella orders his men to let the broker win back what he lost and then rob him once he goes back ashore. Morella feared that the stockbroker might try to create bad publicity for him and draw in the police. The local District Attorney (Frank Ferguson) and U.S. District Attorney (John Litel)repeatedly arrest him but they cannot get him for any crimes. One of Morella's men gives the local D.A. a signed confession, but a rat in the D.A.'s office steals the confession and gives it to Morella. Every time that either tries to bring in a witness against Greg Morella (Gilbert Roland of "Any Gun Can Play"), the mobster has his hit men silence them. Eventually, newspaperman Jim Carver (Wayne Morris of "Brother Rat") shoots photographs of Morella's rigged gambling tables and Morella's secretary Laurie Ogden (Jane Wyman) takes them to the authorities. Morella appears in court, and the D.A. is about to summon Laurie as a witness who can authenticate the photos when Morella's out-of-town muscle kidnaps. Carver visits Laurie on Morella's ship, and Morella plans to dispose of them, but the authorities muster three patrol boats with armed agents and they waylay Morella's boat. Clocking at a brisk 55 minutes, "Gambling on the High Seas" is obviously a B-picture, but Amy handles this Warner Brothers film with competence. The Robert E. Kent & Martin Mooney screenplay and story is pretty sharp, and the characters are robust. At one point, Morella says that he doesn't trust anybody, but his lowers his guard for wisecracking reporter Carver and it costs him.

Good Wayne Morris & Jane Wyman Movie

[ardenphillips · 8/10 · 13 March 2021]

Wayne Morris was an absolute sweetheart and is always fun to watch. Add brilliant (still blond) Jane Wyman and this is an entertaining little movie. Great chemistry between these two. Just wish Wayne Morris would have gone on to as big a career as Jane Wyman.