Ship of the Dead is a gem of a movie, a tremendous story of love, crime, hardship, hopelessness, and betrayal. Buckholz gives the performance of his life as a human castoff, in international limbo, because of the loss of his passport. He is conned into taking a job on a tramp steamer filled with misfits, smugglers, and murderers. Soon after realizing his plight, he and his pal discover the ship's cargo isn't exactly what it's purported to be.