Tuna Clipper

Tuna Clipper is a 1949 American drama film directed by William Beaudine and starring Roddy McDowall, Elena Verdugo and Roland Winters. It was one of a series of films McDowall made for Monogram.

A young man goes to work on a tuna boat to earn money to pay off debts. When his friend Frankie Pereira fails to place the wager of a ruffian named Ransom at the racetrack and the 10-to-1 longshot wins, Alec MacLennan is left holding the bag after Frankie flees. Forced to pay off the debt, Alec takes a job on the Pereira family's tuna fishing boat.

Frankie's tough brother Silvestre objects to Alec's presence and bullies him. After a while, their sister Bianca notices that the hard-working Alec never has any of his salary. She finds out how he is being extorted by Ransom, who is doing likewise to her brother after finding Frankie working as a stable boy at the track. Ransom's chicanery discovered, Alec is forgiven by all.

• Roddy McDowall as Alec MacLennan
• Elena Verdugo as Bianca Pereira
• Roland Winters as E.J. Ransom
• Peter Mamakos as Capt. Manuel Pereira
• Rick Vallin as Silvestre Pereira
• Michael Vallon as Papa Pereira
• Russell Simpson as Capt. Fergus MacLennan
• Doris Kemper as Anne MacLennan
• Dickie Moore as Frankie Pereira
• Richard Avonde as Pete, a Pereira crewman
• Victor Sen Yung as Oriental Dock Worker

The film was reviewed by François Truffaut who described it as "A scenario whose charm lies in its modesty and honesty".

• Dixon, Wheeler Winston. Early Film Criticism of François Truffaut. Indiana University Press, 1993.
• Marshall, Wendy L. William Beaudine: From Silents to Television. Scarecrow Press, 2005.

• Tuna Clipper at IMDb