Captain Caution
1940 film
title: "Captain Caution" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1940-films", "1940-adventure-films", "american-adventure-films", "american-black-and-white-films", "films-directed-by-richard-wallace", "films-based-on-american-novels", "films-based-on-historical-novels", "american-seafaring-films", "war-of-1812-films", "1940s-english-language-films", "1940-american-films", "english-language-adventure-films"] description: "1940 film" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Caution" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1940 film ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Captain Caution |
| image | Captain Caution FilmPoster.jpeg |
| caption | Film poster |
| director | Richard Wallace |
| writer | Kenneth Roberts |
| Grover Jones | |
| based_on | |
| producer | Grover Jones |
| Richard Wallace | |
| starring | Victor Mature |
| cinematography | Norbert Brodine |
| editing | James E. Newcom |
| music | Irvin Talbot |
| Phil Ohman | |
| studio | Hal Roach Studios |
| distributor | United Artists |
| released | |
| runtime | 86 minutes |
| country | United States |
| budget | $761,766 |
| gross | $531,149 |
| language | English |
| :: |
| name = Captain Caution | image = Captain Caution FilmPoster.jpeg | caption = Film poster | director = Richard Wallace | writer = Kenneth Roberts Grover Jones | based_on = | producer = Grover Jones Richard Wallace | starring = Victor Mature | cinematography = Norbert Brodine | editing = James E. Newcom | music = Irvin Talbot Phil Ohman | studio = Hal Roach Studios | distributor = United Artists | released = | runtime = 86 minutes | country = United States |budget=$761,766 |gross=$531,149 | language = English
Captain Caution is a 1940 American adventure film directed by Richard Wallace set during the War of 1812. The film stars Victor Mature, Bruce Cabot and Alan Ladd. It was based on the novel of the same name by Kenneth Roberts. Elmer Raguse was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound Recording.
Plot
Cast
- Victor Mature as Daniel 'Dan' Marvin
- Louise Platt as Corunna Dorman
- Leo Carrillo as Lucien Argandeau
- Bruce Cabot as Lehrman Slade
- Robert Barrat as Capt. Dorman
- Vivienne Osborne as Victorine Argandeau
- Miles Mander as Lieut. Strope
- El Brendel as Slushy
- Roscoe Ates as Chips
- Andrew Tombes as Sad Eyes
- Aubrey Mather as Mr. Henry Potter
- Alan Ladd as Newton – Mutinous Sailor
- Leyland Hodgson as British Ship's Brig Officer
- Lloyd Corrigan as Capt. Stannage
- Pierre Watkin as American Consul
- Cliff Severn as Travers
- Bud Jamison as Blinks
- James Dime as a sailor
- Olaf Hytten as Stannage's Aide (uncredited)
- Ethan Laidlaw as Prisoner (uncredited)
Production
Kenneth Roberts' novel was published in 1934 and became a best seller. Film rights were bought by Hal Roach, who made the film as part of a five-picture deal he had with United Artists. (The others were The Housekeeper's Daughter, One Million Years BC, Of Mice and Men and a novel by Thorne Smith.) Eugene Sollow was assigned to write the script.
Plans to make the film were pushed back following the entry of Britain into World War II out of fear the film could be seen as anti British. However "sea pictures" were in vogue at the time (e.g. The Sea Hawk, South of Pago Pago) so Roach decided to proceed.
The anti-British tone of the novel was softened and the script rewritten by producer Grover Jones, who said "in the main we won't be giving them much time to think about whether they like the theme of the picture or not. We'll be giving them action and more action. And if we let a little plot to trickle in to let them know why they are getting all that fighting, we do it only because the camera needs a new set up now and again." Filming started April 1940 under the direction of Richard Wallace.
References
References
- Ward, Richard Lewis. (2005). "A history of the Hal Roach Studios". Southern Illinois University Press.
- (2012). "Captain Caution". [[Baseline (database).
- "The 13th Academy Awards (1941) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org.
- John L. Scott. (October 3, 1940). "Contrasting Screen Fare Offered at Two Theaters". Los Angeles Times.
- Freese, Gene Scott. (April 10, 2014). "Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s-1970s: A Biographical Dictionary". McFarland & Company.
- ''The War of 1812: CAPTAIN CAUTION''. By Kenneth Roberts. 310 pp. New York: Doubleday, Doran & Co. $2.50. Wallace, Margaret. ''New York Times''; November 11, 1934: BR7
- (November 12, 1934). "Best Sellers Here and Elsewhere". New York Times.
- (May 8, 1939). "32 Films for United Artists". The Christian Science Monitor.
- DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL. (November 9, 1939). "NEWS OF THE SCREEN: Fox Buys Play 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow'--Greta Garbo at Music Hall in Her First Comedy Role Chosen for Jack Benny's Film Of Local Origin". New York Times.
- DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL. (November 27, 1939). "SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Paramount Schedules 'Miami,' Modern Musical Romance, as Mary Martin Vehicle FIVE OPENINGS THIS WEEK 'Destry Rides Again,' Starring Marlene Dietrich, at the Rivoli on Wednesday Revival of "Champ" Reported Coast Scripts Of Local Origin". New York Times.
- (February 9, 1940). "Rollers Ahead For Hollywood In Latest Cycle". The Washington Post.
- Frank Daugherty. (June 21, 1940). "Roberts' 'Captain Caution' on Way to Screen: Hollywood Goes to Sea". The Christian Science Monitor.
- Staff Correspondent. (April 23, 1940). "News of the Screen". The Christian Science Monitor.
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