ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

atlasmb This film might be worth seeing just for the cast, but here are some reasons why I cannot rank it highly:1. I'll admit that Harlow does show different sides of her character in "China Seas", but throughout most of the film she is just shouting as are many of the cast.2. Gable may be the best thing in this film, but his role does not give him much to work with.3. I can't say I was drawn into the story. Most of the interesting moments take place during the brief portion that involves the pirating of the ship. And this is a film about mostly unlikeable characters.4. Rosalind Russell is interesting to see so early in her career and because she is not playing her usual larger-than-life character. Here, she fairly fades into the bulwark, though, next to the other actors who are chewing up the scenery.5.Harlow's eyebrows. Sorry, but those drawn-on clown eyes practically negate all of her charms.6. I can't buy the choices Gable's character makes at the end of the film. I understand his attraction to the shipping life, but not his attraction to a certain woman.

st-shot Three MGM stars brawl their way from Hong Kong to Singapore in this Far East shipboard adventure that never picks much steam relying instead on the reputation of its stars to keep course. Capt. Gaskell (Clark Gable) prepares to take his ship on it usual route across the China Sea with a variety of passengers from all walks. The voyage is complicated for Gaskell however when a current flame Dolly ( Jean Harlow ) and a long lost one Sibyl (Rosalind Russell) book passage. The captain must also contend with typhoons, pirates and securing the safety of a fortune in gold. When Sybil begins to wedge herself more into the picture with Gaskell Dolly behaves badly and irrationally throws in with Jamesy ( Wallace Beery ) whose in league with the pirates.There's some decent wisecracking by Harlow in this lemon of a star vehicle for the three but for the most part it's a cacophony of yelling between them while Russell remains composed and undeveloped. Robert Benchley is also on board to provide comedy relief but seems as if he was filming one of his shorts subjects on the same set. Content to let the stars do what they do best China Seas squanders sub plot possibilities as well as give little attention to a scene that calls into question Gaskell's cold immorality regarding life and injury. Instead it chooses to keep the film in safe waters and dazzle you instead with the glow of its stars. Man the lifeboats.

gazzo-2 I really enjoyed the cast-Harlow, Beery, Gable, Benchley, Hattie, Russell. This was filled w/ familiar faces, some of whom-Gable, Harlow and Beery who I've not seen as much of as I should. Beery esp. reminded me of Victor MacLaglen, they should have played siblings sometime, it woulda worked.The plot-well you know it already. Gable is the sea captain, Russell is his old flame, Harlow is the tarnished 'tough dame/floozy' he's seeing, Beery is in cahoots w/ Malay pirates to take the gold on board in the Steam-roller, etc etc.Best part is the steam-roller to-ing and fro-ing during the storm, quite exciting and well done. You also hadda like the Human-bomb turn of Lewis Stone (Andy Hardy's dad), redeeming himself and saving the day at the cost of his life.Overall it's worth watching, though it's def. a period piece.*** outta ****

MartinHafer The first 95% or more of the film was quite enjoyable and this is no surprise considering the talent MGM assembled for the film. Three of its biggest money-making stars (Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Wallace Beery) were featured in this film, along with other notables such as Lewis Stone and Rosalind Russell. The plot is all about a cargo/passenger ship commanded by Clark in the China Seas--which is an area infested with pirates. Beery is one of the passengers but unknown to everyone, he's also the leader of the pirates!! Harlow is Clark's ex-girlfriend. Just how close she and Clark were is a bit vague, though it is implied they were more than just boyfriend/girlfriend. However, an old flame, Russell, comes aboard and Clark quickly dumps Harlow in favor of her because Russell isn't a loud-mouthed skank--plus she is pretty sophisticated with her British accent. Here is an odd bit of casting, because we then hear that Clark, too, is British, but he made no attempt at an accent and sounded about as British as the Frito Bandito or Yogi Berra!! But, despite this, the writing is pretty good and the acting top-notch, so it can easily be ignored.Unfortunately, what cannot be ignored is the end of the film. It just made absolutely no sense at all. While Harlow was a foul-mouthed tramp who actually HELPED the pirates, Clark unexpectedly dumps Russell at the end even though she's a stand-up dame (great lingo, huh?)! It seems that the ONLY reason they ended the film that way was because Harlow was by far a bigger star compared to Russell and they just couldn't let Clark end the film without Harlow. Plus, in so many, many, many ways, this film is RED DUST, PART II. Both feature the pair in Southeast Asia, both had a back story where Gable and Harlow were strongly implied to be more than just "friends" and both had Gable fall for a sophisticated lady yet end up with Harlow in the end of the film!