Discovery of GAMBLING SHIP was BENITA HUME who could be Mary Astor’s twin sister. Benita lifts this movie with her bright, breezy style, playing Eleanor, the mistress  of gambling ship owner Joe Burke (Arthur Vinton).

On her way by train to California after a holiday ,she meets Ace Corbin (CARY GRANT), a gambler who has decided to get away from his old life. Both keep their identities secret, as they get to know each other and fall in love.

The plot involves two rival gambling ships. The only villain in the story is JACK LA RUE . Cary’s character,Ace,  gets involved on the side of Burke.

There’s  a neat confrontation between Ace, Joe and Eleanor, as the truth comes out and both men accuse Eleanor of two-timing them. She laughs it off and tells them she has been on the level  with both of them. She loves Ace but couldn’t leave Joe as he was in trouble.

 

ROSCOE KARNS is, well, Roscoe Karns, funny and loyal to his boss, Joe.

GLENDA FARRELL  has a small role as Benita’s friend.Glenda is always good in this sort of wise- cracking role.

Arthur Vinton, new to me, was good as Joe.

The film is routine and didn’t do a lot for Cary, especially when they tried to make him look older, with an odd looking grey streak in his hair.

Can anyone recommend any other Benita Hume films?

 

 

 

 

Benita Hume (1906 – 1967) was active in Hollywood until she married Ronald Colman in 1938. They were married until his death in 1958. In the early 50s they appeared together in a radio show ‘The Halls Of Ivy’ ( which became a TV series for one year in the mid 50s.)

In 1959,  Benita married  George Sanders and they were together until her death in 1967.