Voyage of the Damned (1976)

In the shadowy grip of 1939, as the Nazis' stranglehold over Germany tightened, an ocean liner named the S.S. St. Louis set sail from Hamburg, embarking on a journey towards freedom. This luxurious vessel, chosen by the Nazis, bore within its steel heart a cargo of 937 Jews — men, women, and children carrying a tumult of emotions as diverse as their backgrounds. Their destination: the distant shores of Havana, where friends, relatives, and the promise of liberation awaited. The voyage, however, held more than just the scent of the sea and the hope of freedom. It was a crucible of human sentiment — joy at newfound liberty, sorrow for a homeland left behind, and anger, simmering within both passengers and certain crew members who sympathized with the Nazi cause. Captain Schroeder, a man detached from the twisted political landscape, strove to steer his ship through this emotional storm, maintaining peace and comfort for his passengers. Unseen by most aboard the vessel, an insidious wave of antisemitism, partly stoked by the Nazis themselves, was cresting across the Western Hemisphere. The passengers, refugees with dreams of a permanent haven, unknowingly held only temporary tourist visas. The ship's fate, along with those aboard, teetered on the edge of uncertainty as they docked in Havana Harbor. Was this precarious outcome part of a cruel Nazi scheme to justify their domestic treatment of Jews? The plot takes a darker turn as the hopeful voyagers discover that their visas are invalid, the handiwork of a corrupt Cuban director of immigration. From the sun-kissed docks of Havana, where only 28 disembarked, their journey took them to the doorstep of Florida and then Canada. Yet, sanctuary remained elusive. After a harrowing month at sea, the S.S. St. Louis was forced to return to Antwerp. The refugees found themselves once again under the iron heel of Nazi rule as the low countries fell. The chilling estimation suggests that around 250 of these hopeful voyagers met their end in the extermination camps of occupied Poland. "Voyage of the Damned" is a chilling testament to the human spirit's struggle for freedom amidst the darkest corners of history, a journey that leaves a haunting wake in the vast ocean of time.

Voyage of the Damned is a drama movie featuring Faye Dunaway and directed by Stuart Rosenberg.

Voyage of the Damned is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Freevee, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, Shout! Factory TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV.

It is also possible to buy Voyage of the Damned on Amazon Video.