The Live Ghost

The captain struggles to recruit sailors because his ship is rumored to be haunted. This fearsome reputation deters every prospective crew member at the dock. The crew's unease casts a pall over the ship as whispers of ghosts linger in the rigging.

During a tranquil fishing outing, the captain crosses paths with Stan and Ollie. He hopes to enlist them, seeing potential mischief and usefulness in their presence. The moment sets the stage for an unlikely partnership.

Stan and Ollie refuse maritime service, citing a deep-seated aversion to the ocean. They joke about shark-infested waters and unpredictable seas, making it clear they won't sign on. The captain must rethink his approach.

Undeterred, the captain improvises a plan to recruit by shanghaiing, and he asks Stan and Ollie to help him practice the scheme. The two men reluctantly agree to participate, unsure but curious. The captain's authority begins to tighten its grip.

Under cover of darkness, the captain orchestrates the forcible abduction of an intoxicated crew member from a local tavern. Stan and Ollie are dragged into the ruse, becoming unwilling parts of the coerced crew. The event marks a turning point from hesitation to complicity.

The vessel departs with a crew bound by coercion and fear. The coerced sailors confront their predicament, muttering about escape and the frightening idea of ghosts. Stan and Ollie maneuver through the tense dynamics while the captain asserts control.

As tensions mount, the captain steps in to restore discipline, issuing a blunt warning that the next person who says 'ghost' will have his head twisted around. His overbearing authority quiets the mutiny for the moment. The crew leans into obedience, fearing his north-to-south threat.

The ship reaches a distant port and the captain grants shore leave to the crew. Stan and Ollie choose to stay aboard, worried for their safety ashore. The rest of the crew disperses, while the crew's dynamic remains unsettled.

The supposed 'ghost' turns out to be the captain's inebriated first mate. His misadventures reach a head when a scorned former lover demands his ouster from the vessel. The haunting is explained away as human folly rather than supernatural.

Stan and Ollie announce, 'We Just Saw A Ghost!' triggering the captain's literal promise. He enforces the neck-twist, delivering the punishment he warned of earlier. The moment seals the captain's uncompromising grip over the ship.

With the 'ghost' incident resolved, the ship resumes its course under the captain's iron discipline. The crew, including Stan and Ollie, adjusts to the reality of their coerced predicament. The narrative threads of fear slowly give way to a grudging routine.

Stan and Ollie decide to stay aboard the vessel rather than risk shore danger, leaving their future in the captain's hands. The captain's vow echoes in the background as the ship sails onward. The film closes on a note of uneasy certainty about what the voyage will bring.