SYNOPSIS: WW2 navy man returns to Singapore to take up his old occupation of pearl smuggling. However, it turns out that the wife he thought killed in a Japanese air raid is still alive, though suffering from amnesia — and now married to someone else!
NOTES: Re-made as "Istanbul" (1957) with Errol Flynn and Cornell Borchers.
COMMENT: This silly story is — incredibly — mostly the work of Seton I. Miller (The Dawn Patrol, Bullets or Ballots, Marked Woman,The Sea Hawk, The Black Swan, Ministry of Fear, Two Years Before the Mast). It manages to combine a melodramatic tale of pearl smuggling with an equally incredible tale of re-marriage and amnesia. The way the writers stretch moral values and all sense of what is believable to bring about the anticipated happy ending, is a miracle of pre- liberal censorship.
Director John Brahm handles this tosh quite seriously, as if it were Graham Greene at his moodily moralistic best. The players certainly way out-class their shoddy material. Ava Gardner, exquisitely gowned and beautifully photographed, moves with customary grace through the attractive sets; whilst Porter Hall supplies a delightful impersonation of a tourist/plumber, and the ubiquitous Philip Ahn makes a surprise appearance as a barman!
Other technical credits are equally first-rate. But what a pity such a pleasing music score is squandered on this sorry concoction of story and character clichés!
Still, we're probably being a bit hard on Singapore. Any film with Ava is certainly well worth seeing. If you're not too critical, this one will doubtless give good entertainment.
NOTES: Re-made as "Istanbul" (1957) with Errol Flynn and Cornell Borchers.
COMMENT: This silly story is — incredibly — mostly the work of Seton I. Miller (The Dawn Patrol, Bullets or Ballots, Marked Woman,The Sea Hawk, The Black Swan, Ministry of Fear, Two Years Before the Mast). It manages to combine a melodramatic tale of pearl smuggling with an equally incredible tale of re-marriage and amnesia. The way the writers stretch moral values and all sense of what is believable to bring about the anticipated happy ending, is a miracle of pre- liberal censorship.
Director John Brahm handles this tosh quite seriously, as if it were Graham Greene at his moodily moralistic best. The players certainly way out-class their shoddy material. Ava Gardner, exquisitely gowned and beautifully photographed, moves with customary grace through the attractive sets; whilst Porter Hall supplies a delightful impersonation of a tourist/plumber, and the ubiquitous Philip Ahn makes a surprise appearance as a barman!
Other technical credits are equally first-rate. But what a pity such a pleasing music score is squandered on this sorry concoction of story and character clichés!
Still, we're probably being a bit hard on Singapore. Any film with Ava is certainly well worth seeing. If you're not too critical, this one will doubtless give good entertainment.