Reap the Wild Wind (1942)

 Cecil B. DeMille's "Reap the Wild Wind"


In the 1940s, Cecil B. DeMille continued Mille continued with his streak of box office successes. "Reap the Wild Wind" was no different. It starred John Wayne as a ship captain contending for the affection of Paulette Goddard's Loxi in 1840. The film was a spectacle sensation and included a scene featuring a giant squid in the climax. However, the only notable thing about this film from this writer's perspective was how headstrong the character of Loxi is. The film came out in 1942, right as the US entered World War II. Because so many men were leaving for war, women were expected to take their labor jobs at home. The film displays a woman who is capable of running a marine salvage business in the place of her father after his death. This fierce woman doing a man's labor job instilled necessary propaganda for the running economics of American life. The film was a wild success for Paramount, filled with action, adventure, and America's favorite actor, John Wayne.







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