The 1942 film "White Cargo" is based on the 1923 stage play of the same title by Leon Gordon. In modern (1942) Africa a man describes the "old days" of the early 1900's. Several white men work in a remote African settlement growing rubber. A beautiful native girl shows up and excites a young man. The native woman wears a necklace of coins until the young man buys her some jewelry.

Worthing, the current (1942) manager of a remote African rubber plantation talks to the local manager and tells how things were in the "old days".

Then the film moves to the early 20th century.

The Congo Queen takes a new man, Langford, to the remote settlement. Four men work at the settlement, the boss Wilbur Ashley, a doctor, Reverend Roberts, and Harry Witzel.

Langford, the Reverend, unknown, the doctor, unknown, Witzel.
A visitor arrives.

She is a beautiful native woman who has previously been the mistress of Ashley and Witzel. She looks around and spots the young Langford.

He is promptly enthralled by the lovely girl. She wears cheap jewelry made from coins.

The older men warn Langford about her but to spite them he marries her.

Soon she has some real jewelry.

After several months Langford and Tondelayo are bored with each other. Langford gets sick and Wetzel and the doctor examine him.

The doctor gives Tondelayo some medicine to give him.

She purchases some poison from a native and tries to give it to him instead.

Witzel catches her and forces her to swallow the poison.
Langford is sent via a boat to a hospital and another new man, Worthing, arrives. The film returns to the present time and Worthing finishes the story.

Hedy Lamarr as Tondelayo
Walter Pidgeon as Harry Witzel
Frank Morgan as The Doctor
Henry O'Neill as Reverend Dr. Roberts
Bramwell Fletcher as Wilbur Ashley
Richard Carlson as Langford
Richard Ainley as Worthing
Director: Richard Thorpe
Writers: Leon Gordon
Based on the 1923 play White Cargo by Leon Gordon