China Seas

1935
Approved
1h 27m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

3.1K

YOUR RATING

Trailer for this tale from the east starring Clark Gable

Play trailer1:58

1 Video

54 Photos

Action Adventure Drama Romance

When earthy Dolly Portland is rejected by Captain Gaskell in favor of a socialite, she aids Jamesy McCardle, in league with Malay pirates, in his plot to seize Gaskell's ship.When earthy Dolly Portland is rejected by Captain Gaskell in favor of a socialite, she aids Jamesy McCardle, in league with Malay pirates, in his plot to seize Gaskell's ship.When earthy Dolly Portland is rejected by Captain Gaskell in favor of a socialite, she aids Jamesy McCardle, in league with Malay pirates, in his plot to seize Gaskell's ship.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

3.1K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Trivia
Jean Harlow wore a wig for this film. She had cut her hair shorter and was letting her natural color grow in. But for the scene where her character Dolly is soaked, the wig could not be used because it would look fake. Thus for a few seconds Harlow's hair is shorter and a different color.

Goofs
(at around 48 mins) During the storm when Jamesy MacArdle grabs China Doll and swings her around in his room towards his dresser, her dress strap comes down revealing what appears to be her bare breast. She quickly lifts her strap and continues.

Quotes
McCaleb: Heh, see that chess game over there? When I was four years old, I played ten people, all at once, blindfolded. I lost every game.

Alternate versions
Also available in a computer colorized version.

Connections
Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)

Soundtracks
On the Road To Mandalay
(1907) (uncredited)
Music by Oley Speaks
Lyrics by Rudyard Kipling
Variation played as part of the score during the opening credits and at the end

User reviews46

Review

Featured review

8/10

Jean & Clark hit the high seas

Rollicking fun with the MGM sheen at its height. Jean and Gable were always a great match and they continue here as a doxy and a ship's captain. The script is serviceable enough to not stretch belief too far, what is more fantastic is that Jean would be traveling on a China tug in white satin no matter how striking it is, same goes for Clark in his white captain uniform but that's Metro for you. This is the last of Jean's true brassy platinum blonde roles. For the short time she had left in her regrettably too brief career she softened her look and her roles were heading to the more ladylike end of the spectrum, for instance Wife vs. Secretary. Rosalind Russell is just starting out here too stuck in one of what she referred to as her Lady Mary roles, full of good diction and the graaaand manner her great flair for comedy wouldn't be tapped for several years, she's fine but knowing what she's capable of she feels constrained. The rest of the cast is terrific with Wally Beery and Robert Benchley standing out in full bodied characterizations. Keep in mind that this was made in the 30's so racism and sexism are on full display in a very casual way.