Yellow Cargo (1936)

The Worst Film Ever

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Eleanor Hunt (Bobbie Reynolds), Conrad Nagel (Alan O'Connor), Claudia Dell (Fay Temple), Frank LaRue (Perrelli), Vince Barnett (Bulb Callahan), Crane Wilbur (director), Harry Strang, John Ivans, V. Carroll. Director/screenplay: CRANE WILBUR. Photography: Mack Stengler. Film editor: Tony Martinelli. Art director: F. Paul Sylos. Music director: Abe Meyer. Assistant director: Bobby Ray. Producer: George Hirliman.A Grand National picture. Released: 8 November 1936. 63 minutes. COMMENT: This first of four Eleanor Hunt (Bobbie Reynolds)/Conrad Nagel/Alan O'Connor) "B" thrillers is probably the best of a poor lot, thanks to its Poverty Row film-making background plot and the charismatic presence of writer/director Crane Wilbur as the movie- within-the movie's crooked director. It's sad to see the super- lovely Ziegfeld chorine-turned-movie-star Eleanor Hunt being out- shone by Jack LaRue and Claudia Dell, but that's the film biz! I've just taken a look at IMDb's photo gallery of Eleanor Hunt and it's interesting to see that in at least half of them, Eleanor does not take a good photo at all, whereas Claudia Dell always looks great in just about every picture in her photo gallery. Eleanor is obviously not at ease, posing in front of a still camera, but comes to life when she is actually acting in the movie!

Fast moving and without pause in either comedy or action, this takes the viewer inside the phony racket that sells extra workers into the black market and replaces them with Chinese laborers. Federal agent Conrad Bagel, pesky reporter Eleanor Hunt and buffoon photographer Vince Barnett get involved in the action which is overloaded with wise cracks between Nagel and Hunt, as well as a surprise twist that keep this hopping. The cover artwork of the DVD is rather deceptive, but no matter. This is quite fun on its own. One very funny scene has Nagel and Huntcreferring to each other by an odd assortment of actors names while Barnett gets laughs with a slew of funny facial expressions.

The first of a series of four "G-Man" films produced by George A. Hirliman's Condor Productions (with all four starring Conrad Nagel and Hirliman's wife, actress Eleanor Hunt, in continuing roles), "Yellow Cargo" has G-Man (nee FBI) Alan O'Connor (Conrad Nagel) being "borrowed" by the United States Immigration Service to track down a smuggling ring on the West Coast, which is engaged in bringing in Orientals to the U.S. in violation of the Chinese Exclusion Act. O'Connor is met at the airport by reporter Bobbie Reynolds (Eleanor Hunt), who mistakes him for a New York actor in search of a movie job in Hollywood. O'Connor falls in with her plan to introduce him to some producers, so he can get a line on the leaders of the smuggling ring, who are operating under the guise of an independent motion picture company. Vince Barnett is on hand for comedy relief as "Bulbs" Callahan ('Vince Barnett' ), a bone-head news photographer.Be prepared for a low budget film, but it moves fast and is watchable if you like movies from the 30's.

This movie is showing on one of the channels that I have on direct tv. So far, the movie seems pretty dull and cheesy. The one thing that I do like about it is that it's from the 30s, and the acting and costumes are pretty nice.