The film's storyline involves the 17th-century Caribbean city Port Royal in the mid-20th century.
Plot
The sunken Caribbean city Port Royal was long rumored to have been visited by pirates who rise from the ocean floor. In the mid-17th century, the port was thriving, but it was heavily damaged in 1692 by an earthquake and suffered numerous hurricanes that prevented it from regaining its former glory. A 1907 earthquake caused the city to sink beneath the waves.
Tony, a scientist, believes that older portions of the city will soon become visible because of predicted volcanic activity and, after obtaining grant funding, wants to investigate.
Before arriving on the island, thugs local to the area plan to steal all the gold when Port Royal becomes visible. They attack Tony, leaving him hospitalized, and steal his research material in their quest to find the rumored pirate gold.
Tony escapes the hospital and arranges passage to the island. He is forced to take Joan with him, and she is disgruntled at being forced to accompany an exhibition whose theory she finds unlikely.
The ruins become visible, as predicted, and the criminals obtain the treasure. The two groups happen to meet and are suddenly attacked by giant crabs. Volcanoes begin to erupt as the two groups fight for the treasure and try to escape the sinking city.
Production
Pollexfen and Wisberg had already made Captive Women and Sword of Venus for RKO. Port Sinister was filmed at the RKO studios with location work at Palos Verdes, California. It is the third and final film made by American Pictures Company by these producers.[2] The movie had the working titles Port Royal—Ghost City Beneath the Sea, Sunken City and City Beneath the Sea. It was based on the real city of Port Royal.
Reception
Variety found the film to be a very mediocre melodrama. According to the book RKO Radio Pictures, the movie was boring and had dark filming and insufficient lead acting; however, the villains of the movie were interesting.[3]Leonard Maltin gave the movie two of four stars, liking its premise but finding the acting and crab effects lacking.[4]
Warren, Bill. Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties, 21st Century Edition. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009 (First Edition 1982). ISBN0-89950-032-3.
