Manuela (U.S. title: Stowaway Girl ) is a 1957 British drama film directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Trevor Howard and Elsa Martinelli.

[1] James Prothero is the jaded, alcoholic, disillusioned captain of a ship due to leave South America for England.

Trevor Howard gives a finely-tempered performance as the middle-aged, alcoholic master, an almost Conradian character; but here, as in Outcast of the Islands [1952], he cannot succeed in conveying the illusion of an all-consuming passion, upon which the story of Manuela also hangs.

Otto Heller's camerawork is particularly fine, giving the film a visual quality which ultimately serves to expose a lack of distinction elsewhere.

Director Guy Hamilton does a fair job of reining in Trevor Howard's natural bullishness, coming as close as anyone ever did to discovering vulnerability in his gruff make-up.