CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Jenni Devyn Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Leofwine_draca WAKE OF THE RED WITCH is an unusual outing for John Wayne and a far cry from the typical western pictures that he's best known for. Here he plays a grizzled sea captain who hunts for a hidden fortune, fights with powerful rivals, and romances a girl in exotic climes. The story is slightly episodic and unusually downbeat, with harsh characterisation and an emphasis on conflict throughout, but it also feels quite fresh and engaging and the change of scenery for the star works well. It also has the inimitable scene of Wayne battling a giant octopus, which is worth the admission price alone.

Marlburian I enjoy most John Wayne films, notably his Westerns, and a long time ago read several books about him, but Wake of the Red Watch was all but unknown to me. (British TV frequently screens his better-known films butI can't recall "Wake" being shown before.)It wasn't at all bad, if one overlooks some of the clichés and limited production values, and Wayne portrays a character more complex and less sympathetic than in any other of his films, even Red River and The Searchers.Some of the plot twists were a bit hard to follow, and I'm still not sure about the relationship between Ralls and Sidneye - it seemed to mellow towards the end.Before watching the film I hadn't bothered to note its date and, going on Wayne's youthful appearance and the unsophisticated aspects of filming and plotting, I guessed it was early 1940s. I was a little surprised to see that it was 1948, just as Wayne was about to film some of his greatest Westerns.

soccermanz I have just sat through this black and white fable whilst trying to do other work. Why John Wayne owed anyone the Pearls or the Gold was totally beyond me or even why he died if he actually did. Or why Gail Russell became the love of his life after a couple of glances or why she let her father publicly engage her to another but still chose him and then pushed him aside because her father tripped and fell into a bonfire supposedly stoked up by a single octopus eye. or why she died on seeing him the second time. I suspect that a lot of the plot was made up as they went along depending on where they were and how much was in the kitty. To suggest that it was anywhere near to being one of John Wayne's best suggests that his full repertoire had not been seen or viewed with sufficient care. Unless you have something else to do at the same time my advice is don't bother.

whpratt1 As other viewers have commented, I personally viewed this film when I only paid 35 cents for admission and it was well worth it. John Wayne was my idol and just the thought of going down under the water was extremely unimaginable and fighting all the horrible creatures we just read or heard about was never viewed on a big screen. (Radio was our only big entertainment and we had to use our IMAGINATION!) In 1948 the country had just gotten over WW II and Hollywood did not have all the special effects it has in 2000! I have viewed this film over and over again and still remember how it kept me on the edge of my seat. All future generations will do the very same thing and admire how much the film industry has advanced in their technology. This is a great John Wayne Classic and to find fault with it is uncalled for.