 The lavish MGM epic was written by James Kevin McGuinness and Jules Furthman from the book by Crosbie Garstin, and directed by Tay Garnett.This is one of only four sound films with Beery in which he did not receive top billing.Alan Gaskell (Clark Gable) is an abrasive, gambling, captain of a tramp steamer, the "Kin Lung," chugging between Singapore and Hong Kong.