Podcast Summary: Harold’s Old Time Radio

Episode: On Stage 53-01-22 (04) Cargo
Original Air Date: January 22, 1953
Podcast Date: September 17, 2025
Hosts/Stars: Kathy Lewis & Elliot Lewis
Writers: Morton Fine and David Friedkin

Overview

This episode from “On Stage” dramatizes “Cargo,” a lush, moody radio play set in the exotic backdrop of the Amazon. The story follows Paul Kincaid, a hardened river pilot, and Isabel Warner, a woman haunted by loss and seeking a new future. Their journey upriver is part business, part pilgrimage, exploring guilt, redemption, and unexpected romance under the shadowy canopy of the jungle.

Key Discussion Points & Narrative Highlights

1. Introduction and Setup (00:00–00:30)

• Elliot and Kathy Lewis introduce the play, mentioning listeners should expect a tale filled with love and adventure.
• The writers Morton Fine and David Friedkin are praised as creators of compelling radio drama.

2. Main Characters and Their Motivations (00:30–01:30)

• Isabel Warner (Kathy Lewis): Revealed as the “cargo” to be delivered to her fiancé, Julia, upriver.

• Paul Kincaid (Elliot Lewis): A jaded river man, carrying the scars of past violence.

• Corvo: Kincaid’s loyal assistant, provides both comic relief and insight into Kincaid’s soul.

• Revelation: Isabel’s brother was killed by Kincaid in the past, creating instant and heavy tension.

  "Just stare at you and be glad you’re all eaten up inside. Because you're a man who once cut another man's throat. Get a boy, put a knife in him and killed him. And he was my brother."
  — Isabel (Kathy Lewis), 01:36

3. Departure and Jungle Atmosphere (01:30–03:41)

• Journey begins in Matape, Brazil, as the trio board their launch, Jacquelina.

• The Amazon’s setting is evocatively described – heat, decay, and the ever-changing cycle of life and death.

  “The million things that grew into each other and choked each other and dripped, ripped and grew and died. And sprang to life again and grew. See it till the night comes.”
  — Paul Kincaid (Elliot Lewis), 02:47

4. Stop at Purupa – Gasoline and Ghosts (03:41–07:05)

• At a river town, Purupa, Kincaid gets gas on credit from Grady – a local character who needles him about his violent past and Isabel’s connection.

• Tension simmers as Grady and Isabel indirectly discuss Kincaid’s crime and Isabel’s true intentions.

  "Who’s the lady, cargo? Yeah, she said."
  — Grady, 03:56

5. Kincaid’s Haunted Past (07:05–11:14)

• Kincaid visits a grave (Jacquelina’s) in Porto de Mas and leaves a wild orchid, revealing grief for a lost love and the pain still raw from his actions.

  "Jacquelina. A girl I buried in that grave. A girl who wore a jungle orchid in her hair."
  — Paul Kincaid (Elliot Lewis), 09:58

• Corvo interrupts, apologizes for intruding, acknowledging the depth of Kincaid’s suffering.

  "The girl you loved her. Must have been very much."
  — Corvo, 09:45

6. Fever, Delirium, and Care (11:14–14:23)

• Kincaid falls into fever; Isabel nurses him through illness, quietly shifting their animosity toward intimacy.

  “And cold. Cold of fever. And of a face dead in swarming earth and decay. Of wild blossoms on a forest grave.”
  — Kincaid’s fever dream, 11:37

• They arrive at Palmbal, met by Julio, Isabel’s intended.

7. Julio and The Palace (15:28–17:37)

• Describes the opulent isolation of Julio’s estate; Kincaid recovers from fever in luxury but remains emotionally tormented.

• Julio senses the chemistry between Isabel and Kincaid, noting:

  “You must know… how she has nursed you near. To you more than to me she has been since you are here.”
  — Julio, 16:56

8. Confession and Forbidden Love (17:50–20:26)

• Isabel and Kincaid share intimate moments in the jungle, admitting love and the impossibility of returning to the past.

  "I love you."
  — Paul Kincaid (Elliot Lewis), 19:55

• Isabel’s willingness to embrace her new feelings juxtaposed with her vow to Julio sets the stage for tragic consequences.

9. Treachery, Pursuit, and Climax (20:40–25:20)

• The two attempt to flee but are caught; Corvo is shot in the chaos by Julio.

• Isabel, wounded, pleads for survival and home.

  "Take me home."
  — Isabel, 25:24

10. Resolution: Down River and New Love (25:28–26:03)

• Kincaid carries Isabel to the boat, heading downriver toward a new beginning together.

  "I love you, Paul."
  — Isabel, 26:01

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Female Power, Bitter Love

  “Just stare at you and be glad you’re all eaten up inside... And he was my brother.”
  — Isabel, 01:36

• Jungle’s Relentless Cycle

  "The million things that grew into each other and choked each other and dripped, ripped and grew and died."
  — Kincaid, 02:47

• Kincaid’s Grief

  "A girl I buried in that grave. A girl who wore a jungle orchid in her hair."
  — Kincaid, 09:58

• Forbidden Love Confession

  "I love you."
  — Kincaid to Isabel, 19:55

• Hopeful End

  "I love you, Paul."
  — Isabel, 26:01

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction and Play Setup: 00:00–00:30
• Character Backstories Revealed: 01:31–03:41
• Gas Stop & Confrontation: 03:41–07:05
• Revelation at Jacquelina’s Grave: 07:05–11:14
• Fever & New Bonds: 11:14–14:23
• Julio’s Palace & Suspicion: 15:28–17:37
• Isabel & Kincaid’s Love Confession: 17:50–20:26
• Escape and Corvo’s Death: 20:40–25:20
• Final Escape & Confession: 25:28–26:03

Tone & Atmosphere

• Moody, lyrical narration typical of Golden Age radio drama
• Atmosphere of tropical danger and emotional tumult
• Dialogue is raw, direct, and evocative of noir fiction and classic Hollywood adventure films

Conclusion

“Cargo” is a tale of hard-won redemption, haunted love, and the search for peace in the wildest of places. The interplay of loss, guilt, and new romance reflect the complex emotional stakes, while the dangerous beauty of the Amazon forms a fitting backdrop. Through exceptional performances by Kathy and Elliot Lewis, the play explores how the past shapes the future—and how love can bloom even in the darkest jungle.