Rare Cinematic Gems Exploring the Legacy of Sea Scamps: Cult Guide

The Sea Scamps Phenomenon

For many, the first encounter with Sea Scamps is to provoke thought and inspire awe in equal measure.

The children of the orphanage are elated over the outing, given to them by Mrs. Bullock, a rich lady charitably inclined. She doesn't know what she's undertaken, though, when she volunteers to be chaperone and guide to the youngsters on their sea trip. She loads them all in her auto, and when she comes to count noses she finds that the party has been swelled by the addition of several miscellaneous animals, pets of the children. She orders them all left behind. But "Pal" decides that he wants an excursion, too. At the dock the kids get into mischief. Pal shows up on the dock and he is thrown off, chased off and locked off the boat, but that does not discourage him. Before the boat sails he climbs the hawser and makes his appearance when the ship puts to sea. The life on the bounding main seem to incite the kids to more mischief, and things are going merrily when a wild flying fish comes aboard and forms an attachment for "Ginger." The rest of the gang go to the rescue with fire-axes and water pails. When the flying fish is finally chased back to the waves the cabins of the ship look like they had been visited by the big wind of 1889. To keep the kids quiet a, traveling man kindly offers them the contents of his sample cases to play with. It is a good thought--except that the cases are full of fireworks and the kids think it is Fourth of July. Rockets ricochet through the cabins. Roman candles roam through the portholes; pinwheels puff and firecrackers crack, until the Captain takes a hand and puts the entire gang to work cleaning the decks. It's been a great day for the orphans, but a greater one for Mrs. Bullock and the ship's crew.