Rediscovered Classic: Strange Cargo

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B+

Lowest Recommended Age:	Middle School
DVD Release Date:	February 19, 2008

strange%20cargo.jpg A 1940 film starring Joan Crawford and Clark Gable and set in a penal colony is an improbable candidate for Biblical allegory, but Strange Cargo is a moving film that draws its power from an inspiring, Christ-like figure and its echoes of Biblical themes, spiritual without being preachy. Gable was Crawford’s all-time favorite co-star, and this was their eighth and last film together. Their strong chemistry and the way their characters interact with the mysterious prisoner who gives them a glimpse of their best selves is part of what makes this movie work on many levels. It is beautifully directed by Frank Borzage, who was a master of mood and symbolism. For the first time, the movie is available on DVD, as a part of a new boxed set, The Joan Crawford Collection, Vol. 2, and it is well worth adding to your Netflix queue.

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