"Hong Kong Confidential" is a product of the Cold War era. The plot is all about Soviet attempts to destabilize a country by kidnapping a young prince and forcing his father to sign a peace treaty with them...or the kid will die! While this seems like a dopey plot, the Soviets DID involve themselves in many assassinations and arrests in order to force free countries into the communist bloc. Sadly, however, the film itself is very pedestrian and ordinary.
Gene Barry plays a special secret American agent. He's carefully created the persona of a devil-may-care guy who will do practically anything for money...and he's a successful lounge singer. This part is pretty funny, as Barry's singing is god-awful to the point where it must have elicited a few laughs in the theaters! He follows clues which take him to the prince...but this may not matter very much, as the kidnappers welcome him...and plan on killing him and making him appear to have been one of the kidnappers!
Ordinary in every way (at best). Okay acting, okay direction and an okay plot...this film is clearly mediocre and mostly what I could consider a time passer.
Gene Barry plays a special secret American agent. He's carefully created the persona of a devil-may-care guy who will do practically anything for money...and he's a successful lounge singer. This part is pretty funny, as Barry's singing is god-awful to the point where it must have elicited a few laughs in the theaters! He follows clues which take him to the prince...but this may not matter very much, as the kidnappers welcome him...and plan on killing him and making him appear to have been one of the kidnappers!
Ordinary in every way (at best). Okay acting, okay direction and an okay plot...this film is clearly mediocre and mostly what I could consider a time passer.