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Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) movie poster

Timeline

Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1943 · 82 mins · English
Directed by
Edgar G. Ulmer
Starring
John Carradine, Tala Birell, Veda Ann Borg, Sidney Toler, Gale Sondergaard, Rick Vallin

A turbulent blend of passionate romance and high‑octane adventure sweeps the South Pacific as two divers plunge into dangerous waters seeking a hidden gold fortune, only to clash with a ruthless sea captain and the relentless forces of nature that threaten to drown their quest and test their bond.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Isle of Forgotten Sins
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943)

Where can you watch Isle of Forgotten Sins? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Artiflix, Fawesome and Cineverse: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Isle of Forgotten Sins Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Clancy is bound on a moored boat

    Mike Clancy wakes to find his diving partner Jack Burke has tied him to the bunk bed. Burke steals all the cash from Clancy's pocket and leaves without untying him. This treachery sets Clancy on a collision course with Marge and a long-lost Tropic Star treasure.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Harbor boat
  2. Burke tries to woo Marge

    Burke goes to Marge's Isle of Forgotten Sins to charm her, hoping to exploit Clancy's loyalty for profit. Marge is in love with Clancy, complicating Burke's scheme. The encounter foreshadows how greed will draw everyone into the treasure's orbit.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Isle of Forgotten Sins, Marge's place
  3. Clancy exposes Krogan and Johnny Pacific

    Clancy arrives at Marge's place and defeats Burke in a fistfight. He reveals that he recognizes Krogan and Johnny Pacific, the captain and purser of the Tropic Star, which disappeared with three million dollars six months earlier. They must have hidden the loot, and a scream and a gunshot upstairs hint that danger remains.

    When
    Soon after the fight
    Where
    Marge's place
  4. A scream, a gunshot, and a mass exit

    A scream from upstairs is followed by a gunshot and a patron collapsing dead from the upper landing. Olga flees the scene with a gun in hand as Krogan, Johnny, and the diners rush for exits to escape police. Marge and her girls head for Burke's boat to disappear.

    When
    Immediate aftermath
    Where
    Marge's place
  5. The plan set aboard Burke's boat toward Marana Island

    Clancy explains his and Burke's plan to the women as their boat sets off for Marana Island, where Krogan and Johnny run a plantation. Krogan watches with binoculars, having predicted Burke and Clancy would try to steal the gold. The voyage becomes a cover for pursuing the treasure.

    When
    En route
    Where
    On the boat, en route to Marana Island
  6. Arrival noted by Krogan from shore

    The group's arrival is spotted by Krogan through binoculars, confirming his fears that Burke and Clancy will try to claim the loot. Krogan and Johnny wait as they land at Krogan's plantation on Marana Island. The setup foreshadows the trap that will unfold around the bullion.

    When
    Arrival
    Where
    Marana Island, Krogan's plantation
  7. Marge seeks asylum with Krogan

    Marge persuades Krogan to shelter them for a few days, claiming they are fleeing authorities. The asylum buys them time but binds Krogan into the scheme. The women settle in while tensions simmer between players.

    When
    First night
    Where
    Krogan's house, Marana Island
  8. Night swim and discovery of the Tropic Star map

    During a night swim, Krogan and Johnny observe Clancy and Burke while the women mingle. They discover the Tropic Star log with a map indicating the gold lies underwater on the ship, a map Krogan has placed to lure them into the salvage. The ruse aims to turn Clancy and Burke into dangerous workers for Krogan's gain.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Krogan's house and nearby waters
  9. Salvage dive and a battle for loot share

    The next morning, Clancy and Burke descend in diving suits to salvage the bullion. Krogan and Johnny monitor the operation as the trunk is raised. Burke demands 60 percent because of the boat and crew, sparking a violent confrontation that spills into the boat's back room.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Offshore salvage site near Marana Island
  10. Krogan's betrayal and the boat explosion

    Krogan orders Clancy and Burke into the boat's back room, then detonates explosives attached to Burke's boat, triggering an explosion. Clancy and Burke manage to escape the blast, while Krogan and Johnny close in on their own stake. The betrayal peaks as survival takes precedence over treasure.

    When
    During the explosion
    Where
    Back room of Burke's boat and nearby vessel
  11. Storm on the island and an apparent death

    A storm rages as Krogan, Johnny and five natives return to the island. Marge asks what happened to Clancy; Krogan claims he died to protect the loot. The weather mirrors the growing danger and shifting loyalties around the treasure.

    When
    Storm aftermath
    Where
    Marana Island
  12. Double-cross erupts; Johnny and Krogan kill each other

    Johnny confronts Krogan over the loot, and they shoot each other dead in a mutual betrayal. Clancy then enters with Burke, convinced they will all share the money. A fierce storm hits and a thatched house is ripped apart, washing the scene away and sealing the fate of the treasure.

    When
    Immediately after the shooting
    Where
    Marana Island, thatched house
  13. Epilogue at The Bird Cage Cafe

    In the cafe, Marge sits at the cash register with a photo of Diane and Burke nearby. Clancy, now wearing a captain's cap, hints at collecting a fifty-dollar bite and mentions a Riviera bungalow, suggesting plans that keep money and danger alive. Marge rings up a no sale, signaling that the cycle of greed continues despite the deaths and disappearances.

    When
    After the storm
    Where
    The Bird Cage Cafe

Last updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:53

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Timeline questions answered

Isle of Forgotten Sins Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Jack Burke tie up Mike Clancy at the beginning?

Burke ties Clancy to the bunk bed because he's greedy and wants to steal the money. After Clancy wakes up drunk, Burke demands cash, reaches into his pocket, takes all the money, and leaves him bound without untying him. This act of betrayal sets the entire chain of events in motion.

Foreshadowing: This treachery foreshadows the repeated double-crossing that defines the treasure hunt.

  • jack burke
  • mike clancy
  • betrayal
  • money
  • greed
Q2

How does Mike Clancy recognize Captain Krogan and Johnny Pacific?

Clancy recognizes them because he had previously worked on the Tropic Star, the ship that disappeared six months earlier in the Coral Sea with three million dollars in gold. He remembers Krogan as the captain and Johnny Pacific as the purser, and realizes the missing gold must still be hidden somewhere.

Foreshadowing: This revelation draws everyone into the dangerous treasure hunt.

  • krogan
  • johnny pacific
  • tropic star
  • recognition
  • gold
  • ship
Q3

Why does Olga shoot and kill a customer at Marge's place?

The exact motivation for Olga's shooting is never fully explained in the film. A scream rings out from upstairs, followed by a gunshot, and a customer falls dead on the upper landing while Olga flees the scene with the gun. The murder creates chaos that allows the other characters to escape before police arrive.

  • olga
  • shooting
  • murder
  • customer
  • escape
Q4

Why does Captain Krogan agree to let Clancy and Burke stay at his plantation?

Krogan allows them to stay because he already knows they came to find the gold. He watched their arrival through binoculars and predicted they would attempt to recover the loot. By letting them stay, Krogan can keep close watch on them and potentially turn them into workers to recover the gold for himself.

Foreshadowing: This mirrors Krogan's earlier placement of the Tropic Star map to lure the divers.

  • krogan
  • asylum
  • plantation
  • marana island
  • gold
  • trap
Q5

What triggers the explosion on Burke's boat?

Krogan triggers the explosion deliberately. After the gold is raised from the water, he orders Clancy and Burke into the back room, then nails the door shut. He and Johnny light a fuse connected to explosives attached to the boat, intending to kill them and claim all the gold for themselves. Clancy and Burke narrowly escape the blast.

Foreshadowing: Krogan's earlier use of the map to lure them foreshadows this betrayal.

  • krogan
  • explosion
  • betrayal
  • gold
  • explosives
  • boat
Q6

Why do Captain Krogan and Johnny Pacific kill each other?

Mutual greed and suspicion cause both men to turn on each other. After returning to the island during the storm, Krogan accuses Johnny of double-crossing him. Both want the entire loot for themselves, so they draw their guns and shoot each other simultaneously, dying in a fatal duel.

Foreshadowing: The escalating tensions throughout the treasure hunt build to this double-cross.

  • krogan
  • johnny pacific
  • duel
  • betrayal
  • gold
  • death
Q7

Who is the woman in the photograph with Jack Burke at the end?

The woman in the photograph with Burke is Diane, but the film never explains who she is or her connection to him. Her framed picture sits beside the cash register at The Bird Cage Cafe, suggesting she was significant to Burke, though her fate remains unexplained.

  • diane
  • photo
  • jack burke
  • mystery
  • ending
Q8

What happens to the gold after the storm destroys the island?

The gold is lost in the storm. After Krogan and Johnny kill each other, a fierce storm batters the island and washes away the thatched house where the treasure was held. The gold presumably sinks back into the sea, making the entire treasure hunt futile despite all the deaths.

Foreshadowing: The raging storm mirrors the destructive power of greed throughout the film.

  • gold
  • storm
  • lost
  • treasure
  • island
  • destruction
Q9

What does Clancy's final request for money mean?

The ending suggests the cycle of greed continues. At The Bird Cage Cafe, Clancy asks Marge for fifty dollars and mentions a bungalow on the Riviera, indicating their scheming and money troubles persist despite everything. Marge rings up a 'NO SALE,' hinting that their plans remain unfulfilled while danger and desperation still loom.

  • clancy
  • marge
  • ending
  • money
  • riviera
  • cycle
  • greed
Q10

Why does Marge帮助Clancy despite his troubles?

Marge is secretly in love with Clancy throughout the film. This is why she allows his diving partner Burke to stay at her establishment, why she helps him escape when trouble erupts, and why she accompanies him on the treasure hunt. Her love for Clancy drives her loyalty and willingness to risk her life.

  • marge
  • clancy
  • love
  • loyalty
  • romance

Movie threads

More Movies Like Isle of Forgotten Sins, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Isle of Forgotten Sins tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with treacherous treasure hunts like Isle of Forgotten Sins

Greedy adventurers clash amidst dangerous quests for fortune and survival. If you enjoyed the dangerous quest for sunken gold in Isle of Forgotten Sins, you'll love these films. Discover similar adventure movies where greed leads to betrayal amidst perilous expeditions, featuring ruthless rivals, shipwrecks, and high-stakes survival against the elements.

  • greedy
  • treacherous
  • dangerous
  • stormy
  • adventurous
  • double cross
  • Tone: tense, treacherous, dangerous
  • Pacing: fast, action-packed
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a linear quest narrative, where a group of fortune hunters is assembled for a seemingly straightforward goal. The plot quickly escalates into a tense struggle for dominance, as alliances fracture and characters reveal their true, greedy natures. The climax often involves a final confrontation with both human antagonists and a powerful natural force that tests the survivors' will to live.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core focus on the corrupting influence of greed during a physical adventure. They create a specific vibe of constant, tangible danger through a combination of human malice and environmental threats, resulting in a fast-paced, tense, and morally ambiguous experience.

Movies with morally ambiguous survival like Isle of Forgotten Sins

Characters make ruthless choices to survive, leaving their morality behind. Fans of the ruthless characters and ambiguous ending in Isle of Forgotten Sins will appreciate these films. Explore similar stories of survival where greed and desperation lead to morally questionable choices, featuring tense atmospheres and outcomes that leave characters' futures uncertain.

  • ruthless
  • desperate
  • pragmatic
  • tense
  • dangerous
  • unforgiving
  • Tone: tense, cynical, pragmatic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves ordinary or already-flawed individuals placed in extreme situations where conventional morality becomes a liability. The plot tests their limits, often revealing a capacity for ruthlessness they didn't know they possessed. The journey is less about redemption and more about the cost of survival, frequently concluding without a clear moral resolution, leaving the characters in a state of perpetual scheming or existential uncertainty.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared exploration of how extreme circumstances erode moral certainty. They deliver a specific experience centered on tension, not from supernatural horror, but from the chilling realization of what people are capable of when pushed to the brink. The focus is on the psychological toll of pragmatic, often selfish, survival decisions.

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Every angle

Isle of Forgotten Sins (1943) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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