《玛丽·塞利斯特的秘密》拥有很强的悬念性，画面真实自然，人物形象刻画入微。贯穿整部影片的悬念到最后才得以解开。导演以细致的人物心理刻画，使得这部经典影片即便在当今看来，也绝对让人匪夷所思！

在太平洋的一个小村庄里，一个丧偶的渔夫娶了一个年轻得足以做他女儿的女孩。当新妻子爱上丈夫的儿子时，并发症随之而来。

A Maritime Board of Inquiry investigates the loss of the merchant ship, the Black Rover . Its captain, Jim Parker, offers the following testimony on his own behalf: Jim is recommended by Fred Winthrop to his father, owner of the Winthrop Shipping Line, to command the Black Rover after its captain and crew refuse to make the voyage. Jim, who has just received his captain's papers, agrees, unaware that Winthrop is illegally running a cargo of contraband weapons. The film has never had a theatrical release. Production began in 1930 under the title "Contraband," stopped when the producers ran out of money, then began again under the title "Contraband Cargo." Production soon stopped again and was not resumed until 1939, when new footage was shot and footage from HELL HARBOR (1930) was edited in. The film was still deemed not suitable for theatrical distribution, and it was not until 1949 that it was finally released... for late night airing on television.