Sea of Lost Ships

John Derek will likely be remembered more for the vacuous performances of his (ex)wife Bo. Moreover, this film, if it crosses your screen during the late show, will not add to his fame. However, it not is not bad: Grad Matthews (Derek) is the son of a well-known Coast Guard captain, Jack (perennial villain, Barton MacLane in good guy role), who died a hero. He is raised by a curmudgeon but loving CPO, O'Malley (Walter Brennan) and his son, Hap (Richard Jaeckel) and wind up in the Coast Guard Academy. Grad gets kicked out while surrogate brother Hap graduates. Grad then enlists and redeems himself with great success in the Coast Guard. The film's female interest is provided by Wanda Hendrix and the story focuses on the US Coast Guard. There are some wonderful scenes shot aboard the USCG Eagle, the Coast Guard's midshipmen's training ship. The ship is gorgeous and incredibly beautiful under full sail-- the movie is worth seeing if no more than for those scenes of her underway. I recall this film well as it was the only one showing in the crew's quarters when I was on a midshipmen's cruise in 1955 and it was either watch it-- as it was being shown again and again, I saw it about 5 times, as I recall-- or get pressed into wiping bulkheads.