Omoo-Omoo, the Shark God
Omoo-Omoo the Shark God is a 1949 American exploitation film directed by Leon Leonard. Loosely based on the Herman Melville novel Omoo,[1] it is about the curses that befall a ship following the removal of pearls from an island shrine.
Omoo-Omoo, the Shark God | |
---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Leon Leonard |
Produced by | Leonard S. Picker |
Written by | George D. Green Leon Leonard |
Based on | Omoo by Herman Melville |
Starring | Ron Randell Devera Burton |
Music by | Albert Glasser |
Cinematography | Benjamin H. Kline |
Edited by | Stanley Frazen |
Production company | Esla Pictures |
Distributed by | Screen Guild Productions |
Release date | June 10, 1949 |
Running time | 58 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The film is also known as The Shark God in the United Kingdom.[2]
Filmink magazine wrote that the film "was cheap and silly, the sort of thing you don’t want to appear in if you’re on the way up, but is actually quite fun and if Randell wasn’t a great star he was a perfectly acceptable lead. He went on to appear in a series of low budget adventure stories along this line."[3]
Plot
A sea captain has violated the tabu of a South Sea Island by removing some pearls, the eyes of the Shark God. The captain is killed by two crew members who want the pearls.
Cast
- Ron Randell as Jeff Garland
- Devera Burton as Julie Guy
- Trevor Bardette as Capt. Roger Guy
- Pedro de Cordoba as Chief Tari
- Richard Benedict as Mate Richards
- Michael Whalen as "Chips"
- Rudy Robles as Tembo
- George Meeker as Dr. Godfrey Long
- Lisa Kincaid as Tala
Reception
Variety called it "an unpretentious jungle picture" in which the action sequences "seldom achieve an aura of realism" and "performances are generally listless with Randell turning in the most credible job."[4]
References
- Rollyson, Carl E.; Olson Paddock, Lisa; Gentry, April (2007). Critical Companion to Herman Melville: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. Infobase Publishing. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-438-10847-6.
- SHARK GOD, the. (1950, Monthly Film Bulletin, 17, 106. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1305823484
- Vagg, Stephen (August 10, 2019). "Unsung Aussie Actors – Ron Randell: A Top Twenty". Filmink.
- Review of film at Variety
External links
- Omoo-Omoo the Shark God on IMDb
- Omoo-Omoo, the Shark God is available for free download at the Internet Archive
- New York Times review
- Omoo Omoo the Shark God at TCMDB
- Omoo Omoo the Shark God at BFI