▁the ▁word ▁" dam n " ▁and ▁a ▁scene ▁where ▁Lock wood ▁sw am ▁n ude . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁not ▁well ▁received , ▁crit ically ▁or ▁commer cially . ▁It ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁decl ine ▁in ▁Lock wood ' s ▁career . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁wrote : ▁ ▁" Al ways ▁a ▁man ▁for ▁p ict orial ▁respect ability , ▁Mr . ▁Wil co x ▁does ▁quite ▁nicely ▁by ▁an ▁un el abor ate ▁budget , ▁letting ▁the ▁Techn icol or ▁camera ▁play ▁over ▁turn - of - the - century , ▁gas lit ▁rooms , ▁ship board ▁and ▁island ▁ex ter iors ▁and ▁inter iors . ▁Several ▁sh ots ▁of ▁a ▁sch oon er ▁bra ving ▁awesome ▁j ung le ▁waters ▁are ▁excellent . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁film ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁work ▁by ▁that ▁master ▁y arn - sp inner ▁and ▁psych ological ▁pro ber , ▁Joseph ▁Con rad . ▁The ▁tr imm ings ▁remain . ▁But ▁Mr . ▁Wil co x ' s ▁cas ual ▁direction ▁and ▁a ▁l uster less ▁adaptation ▁by ▁Pam ela ▁B ower ▁compress ▁the ▁story ▁into ▁a ▁pl od ding ▁repr ise ▁of ▁th wart ed ▁love , ▁sacrifice ▁and ▁sk uld ugg ery ... ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁most ▁color less ▁casting , ▁Mr . ▁Core y ▁is ▁quietly ▁effective , ▁Miss ▁Lock wood ▁ranges ▁from ▁sk itt ish ▁to ▁gr im , ▁and ▁Mr . ▁For rest ▁gl ares ▁or ▁sn ar ls . ▁As