The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (U.S. title: Phantom Ship) is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Denison Clift and starring Béla Lugosi, Shirley Grey, and Arthur Margetson. Clift and Charles Larkworthy wrote the film, and it was the second feature film made by Hammer Film Productions. The film is based on the real story of the Mary Celeste, a sailing ship that was found floating without anyone on board in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872. The film presents an imagined explanation for why the ship’s crew and passengers disappeared. It includes scenes showing a courtroom investigation into the events. It is believed that only the shortened U.S. version of the film remains today.
Plot
Captain Briggs and Captain Morehead are close friends. Morehead is in love with Sarah and brings Briggs to New York to meet her. However, Briggs and Sarah fall in love with each other. Both men ask Sarah to marry them on the same day. Sarah chooses Briggs. Sarah and Briggs tell Morehead about their plans to marry. Morehead becomes very angry and feels betrayed, believing Briggs has lied to him. Briggs tells Morehead he will marry Sarah even if it ends their friendship.
As the couple prepares to sail, Captain Briggs needs more crew members. He asks Morehead to forgive him and help. Morehead agrees but sends a man named Volkerk Grot to harm the ship instead of helping. Briggs also hires other men, including Anton Lorenzen, a sailor who has suffered greatly and is close to having a mental breakdown.
As the voyage begins, the crew discovers a murderer is killing them one by one. Later, a crew member tries to harm Sarah. Lorenzen saves her by killing the man but then cries because he is upset about killing someone.
Soon, most of the crew is dead or missing. Only First mate Bilson, Lorenzen, and a third crew member named Ponta Katz remain. They decide one of them must be the killer.
Katz believes Lorenzen is too kind to commit murder and chases Bilson. Bilson shoots Katz and then celebrates with Lorenzen, who becomes the new captain of the ship. Bilson plans for the future with Lorenzen.
Lorenzen becomes angry and tells Bilson he was forced to work on the ship six years ago. He says he killed the others to get revenge. Lorenzen shoots Bilson and throws him into the sea. Soon after, Lorenzen is hit on the head by the ship’s boom. He runs around the ship looking for Bilson and, in his confusion, jumps off the ship.
The ship drifts until another ship finds it. The ship is completely empty except for a black cat.
In the final scene, Morehead gives money to a crew member and says, “I am thinking of Briggs and her, dead!”
Production
The ship named Mary B Mitchell was used as the Mary Celeste. Bela Lugosi completed filming his scenes in mid-August 1935 and then returned to America.
Release
The film had its first showing at the Prince Edward theater on November 14, 1935, but it became available to the public in England on April 27, 1936. It was later released in the United States on February 15, 1937, in a slightly changed version with a new name, The Phantom Ship.
Reception
Kine Weekly wrote: "The staging and story are not very convincing; both feel strongly connected to the theatre. However, the play's serious mistakes and its cold message of warning are clearly shown by the strong cast. The play includes a series of exciting and mysterious events that should interest people who are not too familiar with such stories. The characters are strong enough to leave an impression, but the story would have been more dramatic if it had been told with more creativity. Looking back on past events causes unnecessary problems, and the plot's focus on eliminating characters becomes obvious too quickly, reducing suspense."
Picture Show wrote: "Bela Lugosi performs well as the mysterious and threatening Anton Lorenzen. Shirley Grey performs well as the Captain's bride. Edmund Willard gives a strong performance as the tough First Mate. The rest of the actors are also well cast. The play provides good entertainment."
Variety wrote: "Shirley Grey performs as expected in the role of the wife. A strong group of men has been chosen for the crew, except for George Mozart, who provides comic relief. Bela Lugosi gives an outstanding performance as a sailor who was on the boat six years earlier and was severely beaten, leaving him mentally and physically weak. All the men are strong in their roles, except for Arthur Margetson, who plays the captain of the Celeste. The ship is American, and Margetson speaks with an accent close to an Oxford style. The illusion of the ship at sea is well done, except for the cabin scenes. Despite the intense storms, the cabin does not move. The direction is good overall, but the story is sad and unsatisfying. The play is very intense for those who enjoy tragic stories."