Producer Edward Small was well-named. He seemed to specialize in producing reasonably entertaining movies on a small budget. "Sea Devils" is no exception. Admittedly, this one features better-than- usual direction from Ben Stoloff. I love the way Sadie (nicely played by Helen Flint) is introduced, the camera focusing on McLaglen's beer. (Incidentally, the actor pronounced his name, Mack-Lock-len, not Mack- Laglen). I also sat up and enjoyed the fight, with a chair thrown right at the camera. And I also relished the excellent timing of some witty insults. I'll admit the basic plot is pretty predictable, but it's nonetheless amusing. Agreeable performances help. And I must also congratulate all concerned for some excellent special effects work. In my opinion, it all adds up to good entertainment.

The movie opens with a gimmick that I've seen a number of times in films of the era that just doesn't make sense, with a newspaper headline describing an event that's occurring in real time. In this case it's a steam ship that's on fire with a Coast Guard ship to the rescue. It makes you wonder just how quick news could travel in a pre-internet world.The picture's story boils down to a romantic triangle between Ida Lupino's character Doris Malone, and her two maritime suitors, Mike O'Shay (Preston Foster) and Steve Webb (Donald Woods). Actually, make that a quartet, as Doris's father 'Medals' Malone (Victor McLaglen) is actively involved in pitting Webb against the unprincipled and brash O'Shay. When you come right down to it though, Webb never even seemed a contender for Miss Malone's affections, though he does figure in the climactic finale. But even though he dies from injuries sustained in an explosives accident, there's never any time to dwell on it, as the picture rushes off to a Coast Guard rescue of a yacht in hurricane trouble.By that time, O'Shay was in the brig of the U.S.S. Taro awaiting court martial for aggressively opposing Chief Mate Malone one too many times. Keep a sharp eye on that scene when he escapes by tricking a fellow seaman, the key was already in the cell lock - he could have gotten out at any time he wanted!Though the film is somewhat formulaic, the highlight comes near the end with the rescue scene mentioned earlier. You might be amazed as I was to see how the seamen used a shot line to rescue passengers from the distressed ship. If that's the kind of work the Coast Guard does, they're not paid enough!

This is a lively and straightforward action melodrama that stars Victor McLaglen as a Coast Guard skipper in conflict with new boy Preston Foster ,partly for professional and partly for personal reasons .He has a daughter (Ida Lupino ) who he wishes to see wed to seaman Donald Woods .The problem is that she and Foster are in love with each other ,leading to friction between father and daughter on one hand and between father and suitor on the other . The script is lively and rapidly paced .Ben Stoloff directs at a brisk pace and the monochrome photography of J Roy Hunt and Joseph August is crisp and good to look at.

The only reason to see this film is for the nice special effects involving a yacht being pounded against a reef in a hurricane and the way the coast guard rescues its passengers. I also enjoyed their mission to explode an iceberg. But I could have done without the brawling of Victor McLaglen and Preston Foster, which propelled the silly plot and just served to kill time between the action. I never did understand why servicemen fight so much in films of the 30's. Seeing a young Ida Lupino was also delightful and the comedy provided by Billy Gilbert and McLaglen's relationship with saloon owner Helen Flint helped a bit.The film is dedicated to the men of the coast guard, who often risk their lives to effect a rescue of distressed ships at sea.