Gambling on the High Seas (Warner Bros.) (1940)

‘Gambling On The High Seas’—Publicity Excitement On The High Seas! Mat 207—30c Jane Wyman and Wayne Morris are being escorted (without their consent) back to shore in this scene from the new Warner Bros. thriller, “Gambling On The High Seas,” which opens Friday at the Strand. (Lead) ‘Gambling On High Seas’ Opens Friday at Strand Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman Starred in Exciting Film Warner Bros.’ “Gambling On The High Seas,” which will have its first local showing at the Strand Theatre on Friday is an exciting expose of the fraudulent practices of glittering gambling ships. Starring Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman, the film is based on exciting skirmishes between government officials and the ruthless gambling ship operators. Morris is cast in the role of a two-fisted newspaperman. His job takes him to sinister Greg Morella’s, portrayed by Gilbert Roland, luxurious gambling ship. Morella has for a long time successfully avoided every attempt of the Federal men to convict him. However, Morris wins the cooperation and love of the gambling czar’s attractive blonde secretary, played by Jane Wyman, and together they plan a Federal raid of the liner. All the evidence they SYNOPSIS (Not For Publication) Jim Carver (Wayne Morris), young newspaperman, is sent to ferret out the cause of a crime wave and series of murders. Ruthless, sinister Greg Morella (Gilbert Roland), a czar of a gambling ship has just had Gates (Roger Pryor), killed. The D. A. (John Litel) and the police are at their wits end in an effort to convict the gangster. Jim falls in (Jane Wyman), the gambler's secretary, love with Laurie Ogden and together they plan a raid. While the federal men divert the gangsters, the couple photograph the fraudulent gambling devices and turn over the evidence to the D. A. Morella learns of this, and has Laurie, star witness against him, kidnapped. Laurie is finally saved after a daring chase by a coast guard cutter. Morella's trial date becomes Carver and Laurie's wedding day. Page Six amass during the raid is in the district attorney’s files when the secretary is kidnapped by Morella’s thugs. Wayne and the federal men stage a rescue that is packed with action and _ excitement. Jane Wyman returns to testify against Morella. So incriminating is her testimony that the gambler is given a life sentence. The capable cast also includes John Litel, Roger Pryor and George Meader. George Amy directed the Robert E. Kent original screen play from an idea by Martin Mooney. ‘Gambling On High Seas Tells Thrilling Story The exciting story of a ruthless gambler’s attempt to outwit the authorities is the theme of the new Warner Bros. film, “Gambling On The High Seas,” now showing at the Strand. The picture, starring Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman, tells the story of a band of ruthless gangsters who operate a gambling ship. For years their leader, played by Gilbert Roland, has been able to outsmart the police in their attempts to bring a conviction against him. His reign as gambling czar continues until a _ reporter, played by Wayne Morris, obtains the assistance of Roland’s secretary, played by Jane Wyman, in taking photos of the crooked machines. Roland’s thugs kidnap her just before she is about to testify against them at their trial. Morris and the authorities rescue her in one of the most exciting scenes to flash across the screen in quite some time. The evidence they gather is so devastating that Roland is given a life term. “Gambling On The High Seas” was directed by George Amy and the scenario was written by Robert E. Kent from an idea by Martin Mooney. ‘Gambling On High Seas Loaded With Dynamite The one thing Strand Theatregoers demand in their motion picture fare is action! In keeping with his policy of giving the patrons what they want, Manager Collins has booked Warner’ Bros. new _ thriller, “Gambling On The High Seas.” Starring Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman, the adventure film starts its run this Friday. Morris plays the role of a crusading reporter out to prove that the gambling ship is being used as a hideout for some of the biggest racketeers and murderers in the country. Lovely Jane Wyman is seen as the gambler’s secretary, who has unwittingly been drawn into the racket. However, after a little persuasion by Wayne, she agrees to serve as a witness for the State. As a result, she is kidnapped, Wayne is slugged, every law officer available becomes involved in the case and there’s shooting and _ action galore. Of course, everything ends for the best with the two blondes, Wyman and Morris happily married. George Amy directed the production from a Robert Kent screen play. Pretty Jane Wyman Has Gay Time in New Film Jane Wyman, Wayne Morris’ vivacious young leading lady in “Gambling On The High Seas,” the exciting action-thriller coming to the Strand Theatre on Friday, had a grand time meandering about one of the impressive sets during the filming of the picture. The pert bride of Ronald Reagan enjoyed herself hugely as she and other players in the film “oambled” imaginary fortunes at skyhigh stakes, only to see Mat 108—15c JANE WYMAN them whisked away in just a few minutes’ time. In “Gambling On The High Seas,” Jane plays the role of a gambling czar’s (Gilbert Roland) secretary who is in love with a young reporter, played by Wayne Morris. Together they plan a unique method of obtaining enough evidence to convict him. Jane declared that she always had fostered a secret passion to try her luck at roulette. It took just one day on the “Gambling On The High Seas” set to prove to Jane that such tremendous odds exist against the average person. Candid Camera Fiend Because Wayne Morris is a candid camera fiend, Homer Van Pelt, photographer on Warner Bros.’ “Gambling On The High Seas,” claimed that he could not put his camera down for a moment while Wayne was on the set. It was continuously disappearing and could always be found with Wayne, who would be photographing people around the studio. ‘Gambling On High Seas’ Expose of Vicious Racket Starting today, the Strand Theatre will show Warner Bros.’ “Gambling On The High Seas.”. Its cast is made up of such popular players as Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman, Gilbert Roland, Roger Pryor and John Litel. The film tells the exciting story of criminals who operate luxurious gambling ships. Their main purpose is to cheat inno cent thrill-seekers out of their. money and would not hesitate to commit a brutal murder if anyone got in their way. Gambling Czar Gilbert Roland has been exceptionally clever at dodging Federal prosecution. His reign comes to an end when his pretty secretary, played by Jane Wyman, and an ambitious young reporter, portrayed by Wayne Morris, help the Federal agents secure a mass of incriminating evidence against him and his fellow thugs. The novel manner in which this is accomplished makes one of the most exciting climaxes to be seen on the screen Film's Gambling Props Provide Plenty of Fun An extra’s life in Hollywood very often has its lighter side. An example of this was recently shown on the set of Warner Bros. current production, “Gambling On The High Seas,” which opens at the Strand Friday. Roulette wheels, faro tables, cage dice, bingo games, nickel machines, and ever other known device for gambling were operated on the luxurious set. The extras who made up the clientele of the gambling ship in the film amused themselves between scenes by playing at the various tables for huge amounts of money, paying off or collecting with prop chips. “Bet you a thousand,” came from the mouth of one hopeful, “That makes twenty-five hundred you owe me,” from another as high cards were cut. “Five thousand on the red,” sang a young lady at the roulette table. “That makes eighty-five thousand I’ve lost this morning,” gaily chirped a young man at the dice table. A watcher raised a dissenting note. “Not for me,” murmered Wayne Morris, star of the picture. “I want a run for my money,” he opined as he invested one new penny in the salted peanut machine, the only contraption on the set that was not a prop. in many months. Everything turns out for the best with Morris and Wyman naming that certain day. George Amy handled the direction of the screen play by Robert E. Kent from an idea by Martin Mooney. Reporters True to Type In New Strand Thriller Newspapermen groan at inaccuracies on the screen that depict them as being romantic characters who loll about the city room and evidently lead a peaceful existence. This notion is blasted in Warner Bros.’ “Gambling On The High Seas,” which opens at the Strand on Friday. Hardened reporters and editors will be pleasantly surprised to see themselves portrayed as normal, hard-working citizens, rather than distorted, grotesque caricatures. There are no scenes in which a reporter rushes madly into the office with shouts of “Stop the press.” Wayne Morris, who plays the part of a reporter, runs into plenty of headline news, but he never violates the primary “Don’t.” Reporters know that nothing short of a super-sensation can stop the presses once they have started their run. Furthermore, a reporter never threatens his superior. Director George Amy saw to it that Wayne Morris is responsible for no such goings on in “Gambling On The High Seas.” Exciting Action Drama On Way to Strand The Strand’s next film will be Warner Bros. “Gambling On The High Seas,” starring Wayne Morris and Jane Wyman, which opens on Friday. The action drama tells of the efforts of a gambling czar, played by Gilbert Roland, to thwart the police in their attempts to send him to prison. Jane Wyman, playing the part of Roland’s secretary, and Wayne Morris, as a vigorous young reporter, form a unique plan whereby they collect enough evidence against Roland to send him to prison for life. “Gambling On The High Seas” was directed by George Amy. The script was written by Robert E. Kent from an idea by Martin Mooney. CAST OF CHARACTERS Jim Carter ____Laurie Odgen Greg Morella __ U. S. District Attorney Max Gates_________. Larry Brill ____Steve Sterling : City District Attorney Chief of Police ___ _ Reporter __.___ _______ _.WAYNE MORRIS JANE WYMAN __Gilbert Roland ____John Litel ____Roger Pryor ____Frank Wilcox __.__._Robert Strange ___John Gallaudet _____Frank Ferguson ____Harry Shannon _George Reeves Secretary to City Attorney.____________ George Meader Prank. ae William Pawley _____Murray Alper PRODUCTION Directed by GEORGE AMY Screen Play by Robert E. Kent; From an Idea by Martin Mooney; Director of Photography, L. William O'Connell, A. S. C.; Art Director, Hugh Reticker; Dialogue Director, Harry Seymour; Film Editor, Frederick Richards; Sound, Francis J. Scheid; Gowns by Milo Anderson. Running Time: 56 Minutes