Good little thriller about a bored business man who decides to grab all of his company's bonds and make a break for the tropics. On the Plane to Hawaii he meets a young woman in distress who is being menaced by gentleman with a foreign accent who knows way too much about her. Over the course of the weekend romance blossoms as danger lurks. Yes this sort of thing has been done a hundred times before and since, and yes its been done both worse and better, but there is something to be said about a little film that tells its story neatly and efficiently. The performances and the twists this time out are all quite good and enough to suck you in and keep you watching for the films 70 odd minutes. Will you remember the film when its done? Probably not but then again if you're like me you'll put it into the keep pile so that somewhere down the road I can stumble aback over it and enjoy it all over again.
19 Reviews
Good mystery with crime redemption
SimonJack6 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Gene Raymond is one of the few actors in Hollywood history to have written, directed and starred in his own movie. And this is it - his only one. It's also the only film he directed. While "Million Dollar Weekend" didn't fare well at theaters, it has a good plot and screenplay. It was made by a small film company, Eagle-Lion films, which didn't provide it very wide distribution. Yet, it is a good and interesting story. It's a crime mystery with redemption, and it holds up very well. The very small cast of three main players focuses the plot well in just 72 minutes. .
The credits list only Hawaii for shooting locations. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu was one setting. Raymond is very good as Nicholas Lawrence and John Nicholas. Osa Massen is very good as Cynthia Strong, and Francis Lederer is very good as Alan Marker.
Raymond was a man of many talents. Besides acting, he sang, wrote stories and screenplays, and wrote songs. He was a sound and very good leading man, but he didn't land many major roles that shot him to stardom with the best known actors. He was equally adept at comedy, drama and musicals. Raymond was married to Jeanette MacDonald for 27 years, until her death in 1965. The couple had a sometimes stormy relationship. MacDonald's was one career in which the legendary Louis B. Mayer ruled with an iron hand and dictated much of her personal life. Raymond bore a striking resemblance to Nelson Eddy who co- starred with MacDonald in a number of musicals.
Raymond served in the Army Air Forces of World War II and was decorated, with later flying during the Vietnam War. He retired from the Air Force reserves as a colonel. He also had a controversial and colored past with some run-ins with the law. His bisexuality became known and created more personal and career problems.
The credits list only Hawaii for shooting locations. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu was one setting. Raymond is very good as Nicholas Lawrence and John Nicholas. Osa Massen is very good as Cynthia Strong, and Francis Lederer is very good as Alan Marker.
Raymond was a man of many talents. Besides acting, he sang, wrote stories and screenplays, and wrote songs. He was a sound and very good leading man, but he didn't land many major roles that shot him to stardom with the best known actors. He was equally adept at comedy, drama and musicals. Raymond was married to Jeanette MacDonald for 27 years, until her death in 1965. The couple had a sometimes stormy relationship. MacDonald's was one career in which the legendary Louis B. Mayer ruled with an iron hand and dictated much of her personal life. Raymond bore a striking resemblance to Nelson Eddy who co- starred with MacDonald in a number of musicals.
Raymond served in the Army Air Forces of World War II and was decorated, with later flying during the Vietnam War. He retired from the Air Force reserves as a colonel. He also had a controversial and colored past with some run-ins with the law. His bisexuality became known and created more personal and career problems.
For a Few Minutes, a Great Movie
boblipton17 August 2017
It seems as if the late 1940s was a time when every aging Hollywood pretty-boy star from the 1930s was trying to revitalize his career by film noir. MILLION DOLLAR WEEKEND was Gene Raymond's attempt. He not only starred and co-produced, he directed it, and DP Paul Ivanov offers some noir touches almost immediately: when Raymond is confirming his airplane reservation, the desk clerk sits in a room well shadowed by Venetian blinds.
Raymond leaves his brokerage office and takes that plane. First to Honolulu, for a brief stopover while waiting for his flight to Shanghai. On the way, however, he is waylaid by Osa Massen. She is being blackmailed by a smarmy Francis Lederer, who also steals Raymond's briefcase. This leads them back to San Francisco (where else for a film noir?) and revelations.
Despite the film noir touches, for most of its length, it doesn't fit so neatly into the category. Mostly, it seems a tired retread, in which we are forced to guess what is going on, because everyone is keeping secrets. Then, just before the hour mark, Raymond and Massen tell each other what is going on, their hopes and failures, and it's clear that Mr. Raymond was not just another pretty face, but an actual actor.
The movie didn't do well at the box office. It was released by Eagle-Lion, still working its way out of its PRC roots, and film noir was a drug on the market in 1948, even with topnotch talent at the height of its fame. Even so, it's a worthy addition to the genre, if only for that one scene, of two actors talking to each other about their human frailties.
Raymond leaves his brokerage office and takes that plane. First to Honolulu, for a brief stopover while waiting for his flight to Shanghai. On the way, however, he is waylaid by Osa Massen. She is being blackmailed by a smarmy Francis Lederer, who also steals Raymond's briefcase. This leads them back to San Francisco (where else for a film noir?) and revelations.
Despite the film noir touches, for most of its length, it doesn't fit so neatly into the category. Mostly, it seems a tired retread, in which we are forced to guess what is going on, because everyone is keeping secrets. Then, just before the hour mark, Raymond and Massen tell each other what is going on, their hopes and failures, and it's clear that Mr. Raymond was not just another pretty face, but an actual actor.
The movie didn't do well at the box office. It was released by Eagle-Lion, still working its way out of its PRC roots, and film noir was a drug on the market in 1948, even with topnotch talent at the height of its fame. Even so, it's a worthy addition to the genre, if only for that one scene, of two actors talking to each other about their human frailties.
Million Dollar Weekend review
JoeytheBrit3 July 2020
30s screen idol Gene Raymond's sole directing credit and one of his last leading roles is a nifty thriller which sees him play a trusted bank employee who, uncomfortably aware that life is passing him by, steals $1m in bonds from his employer. The robbery is simple, but reaching his ultimate destination of Shanghai proves less straightforward when he finds himself sat opposite possible femme fatale Osa Massen (credited as Stephanie Paull), who's being blackmailed by fellow passenger Francis Lederer. The routine plot is energised by a series of twists and is further bolstered by the interplay between the three leads, with Lederer standing out as a pleasingly slimy antagonist.
If you decide to commit a crime and change your mind before that crime is discovered, it can change your life in ways you couldn't imagine!
mark.waltz13 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
While this is not an example of a classic film Noir, it is a good one, surprisingly tight and fast-moving and filled with nice twists and turns. It involves three people, businessman Gene Raymond who has embezzled money from his company, Stephanie Paull who is dealing with the death of her husband, and the ever grinning Francis Lederer who is following her around, insisting that she is a husband killer. By chance, Raymond and Paull meet on a plane where Raymond helps her escape from Lederer's constant eye. A tense chase sequence down the Pacific Coast Highway and its many winding side exits has the to troubled people revealing set screws to each other and adding in tension as Lederer find out what Raymond has done. It's not too late for Raymond to make good, and he learns the truth about Paull which results in a tense confrontation with Lederer who's motives remain suspicious throughout.
While never escaping its B status, this is surprisingly much better than I thought initially it would be. Many times, these independently released thrillers are very convoluted and filled with details that get it greatly off track, but fortunately, that is not the case here. The flashback sequence concerning Paull and her husband ends up with a very shocking scene, and had me gasping. She seems to be emulating such exotic leading ladies as Hedy Lamarr, Dorothy Lamour and Maria Montez, but I was delighted by her performance even though I had never heard of her.
Raymond, who also directed this, is far from the screwball comedy leaving man of a decade before, and in spite of his advanced age, gets the audience on his side when he makes a major decision towards the end. Lederer, giving the best of the three performances, is delightfully sleazy. A romantic element has the two lovers deciding that they must separate and meet up later, and in doing so, gives this the opportunity to have a more believable conclusion. As a result, this ends up as a little sleeper that I was able to get into and remain interested in.
While never escaping its B status, this is surprisingly much better than I thought initially it would be. Many times, these independently released thrillers are very convoluted and filled with details that get it greatly off track, but fortunately, that is not the case here. The flashback sequence concerning Paull and her husband ends up with a very shocking scene, and had me gasping. She seems to be emulating such exotic leading ladies as Hedy Lamarr, Dorothy Lamour and Maria Montez, but I was delighted by her performance even though I had never heard of her.
Raymond, who also directed this, is far from the screwball comedy leaving man of a decade before, and in spite of his advanced age, gets the audience on his side when he makes a major decision towards the end. Lederer, giving the best of the three performances, is delightfully sleazy. A romantic element has the two lovers deciding that they must separate and meet up later, and in doing so, gives this the opportunity to have a more believable conclusion. As a result, this ends up as a little sleeper that I was able to get into and remain interested in.
While the film has a few minor problems, overall it's pretty watchable and fun
planktonrules15 September 2014
Gene Raymond was a huge star in the 1930s. His lovely singing voice and pretty face meant stardom and a long marriage to a big leading lady, Jeanette MacDonald. However, by the 1940s, his pretty-boy looks were not quite so evident and film roles dried up. Here in 1948, he's far from pretty, but proves in "Million Dollar Weekend" that he was quite talented, as aside from starring in the film, he directed and co-wrote the screenplay! Overall, this B-movie is quite good.
It begins with Nicholas Lawrence at work as a stock broker. However, instead of just going home that Friday afternoon, Nick steals a million dollars worth of his companies money and bonds. His plan is to head to China and live the high life. However, on the way, he gets pulled into a young lady's problems, Cynthia (Osa Massen) is being pursued and blackmailed by a slime-bag, Alan (Frances Lederer). Alan allegedly saw her kill her husband and vows to take her for everything AND have her for his own. She is appalled and seeks help from a stranger, Nick. What's going to happen next? See the film.
The film has a few logical problems. Why would Nick CARE if a woman was in trouble? After all he IS an embezzler! Why would he leave a briefcase filled with a million sitting in his room where someone could steal it? And, why would the film co-star Osa Massen? Massen had very little charisma and really was very poor in the film. It wasn't just her odd accent--after all, Lederer also had a strong accent yet he was wonderful in the film. HOWEVER, and this is fortunate, Raymond's strong performance and the plot were able to overcome much of this. So, despite the film being in the public domain, it IS quite watchable and interesting.
It begins with Nicholas Lawrence at work as a stock broker. However, instead of just going home that Friday afternoon, Nick steals a million dollars worth of his companies money and bonds. His plan is to head to China and live the high life. However, on the way, he gets pulled into a young lady's problems, Cynthia (Osa Massen) is being pursued and blackmailed by a slime-bag, Alan (Frances Lederer). Alan allegedly saw her kill her husband and vows to take her for everything AND have her for his own. She is appalled and seeks help from a stranger, Nick. What's going to happen next? See the film.
The film has a few logical problems. Why would Nick CARE if a woman was in trouble? After all he IS an embezzler! Why would he leave a briefcase filled with a million sitting in his room where someone could steal it? And, why would the film co-star Osa Massen? Massen had very little charisma and really was very poor in the film. It wasn't just her odd accent--after all, Lederer also had a strong accent yet he was wonderful in the film. HOWEVER, and this is fortunate, Raymond's strong performance and the plot were able to overcome much of this. So, despite the film being in the public domain, it IS quite watchable and interesting.
Surprisingly good
jerrysalem-759458 April 2020
Gene Raymond project 1948
ksf-220 April 2007
Gene Raymond is director, writer, and lead actor in this chase action-thriller from 1948. (One of three movies he made that year.) Not sure if his stiff, wooden performance is intentional, but it's quite a change from his earlier roles, where happy-go-lucky boy meets girl, they have some silly misunderstanding, then it's resolved. In Million Dollar Weekend, Nicholas Lawrence (Raymond) is absconding with the company funds, and gets involved with the pretty girl Cynthia Strong (Osa Massen), who thinks she is also running away from her problems. Both of their plans for flight are sidetracked, and they agree to try to solve their own problems back home. Some scenes are a little weak, such as the car chase (filmed slow, then sped up ??) and a fight in the hotel hall. Interloper Alan Marker gives the strongest performance of the ensemble. Black and white flick. Not bad, no plot holes. Would be interesting to know if the filming locations (Hawaii and San Francisco) were authentic or backdrops.
Nice set-up, but unexciting execution
XhcnoirX2 March 2016
One evening company executive Gene Raymond decides to start a new life, with the company's money. He takes all the money & stock papers he can from his office safe and boards a plane to Honolulu, where he will switch to a plane to Shanghai. On the plane he meets recent widow Osa Massen (credited as Stephanie Paull), who is being stalked by family friend Francis Lederer who tries to blackmail her, as he claims he saw her kill her husband. Massen tries to use Raymond to get Lederer off her back, but it only leads to more trouble when Lederer steals Raymond's suitcase with the money & papers and heads to San Francisco, just as Raymond decides his boring life is exciting enough after all.
Despite what IMDb thinks, this movie is pretty far removed from film noir. It has a few elements with the dissatisfied, stealing protagonist and the blackmailer, as well as a potentially murderous widow, but it doesn't amount to much to be honest. The movie is fairly bland, things stay predictable and straight-forward, and while it does entertain decently enough, the ending is as predictable as they get.
Actor Gene Raymond went all out on this one, as he also co-wrote the story (with the producer) and directed it. He is pretty solid here, as are Massen and slimy Lederer. If only Raymond's writing and directing was more exciting. Heck, even veteran cinematographer Paul Ivano ('Black Angel', 'The Shanghai Gesture', 'The Suspect') doesn't excite here with only a few shadowy scenes.
A missed opportunity, there was potential here. Enjoyable in parts (and Raymond and Massen work well together) but not noir enough to earn a recommendation. 6/10
Despite what IMDb thinks, this movie is pretty far removed from film noir. It has a few elements with the dissatisfied, stealing protagonist and the blackmailer, as well as a potentially murderous widow, but it doesn't amount to much to be honest. The movie is fairly bland, things stay predictable and straight-forward, and while it does entertain decently enough, the ending is as predictable as they get.
Actor Gene Raymond went all out on this one, as he also co-wrote the story (with the producer) and directed it. He is pretty solid here, as are Massen and slimy Lederer. If only Raymond's writing and directing was more exciting. Heck, even veteran cinematographer Paul Ivano ('Black Angel', 'The Shanghai Gesture', 'The Suspect') doesn't excite here with only a few shadowy scenes.
A missed opportunity, there was potential here. Enjoyable in parts (and Raymond and Massen work well together) but not noir enough to earn a recommendation. 6/10
Cute little movie about theft and blackmail
iquine8 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
(Flash Review)
Odd to consider those two things cute but this was a 40's movie with a 72 min run time. The movie kicks off with an employee, Nicholas, who knows the combo to his boss's safe snatching millions of dollars in stocks on a Friday afternoon and shoving them into his attaché as he is about to leave the country for Shanghai. Sitting next to him on the flight is an attractive gal who is being blackmailed by the main sitting across from her; commuter train style. (funny that in the 40's, the stewardess allowed customers to switch seats while taxing to the runway) The lady loops Nicholas into her drama in hopes of thwarting the blackmailing man. During a layover, Nicholas's attaché is stolen by the other man and the lady and Nicholas track him down while they are getting emotionally close. Will Nicholas get his money back, get the lady and allude his boss when he finds out the stocks are gone? This was a very competent B-level movie and moderately enjoyable.
Odd to consider those two things cute but this was a 40's movie with a 72 min run time. The movie kicks off with an employee, Nicholas, who knows the combo to his boss's safe snatching millions of dollars in stocks on a Friday afternoon and shoving them into his attaché as he is about to leave the country for Shanghai. Sitting next to him on the flight is an attractive gal who is being blackmailed by the main sitting across from her; commuter train style. (funny that in the 40's, the stewardess allowed customers to switch seats while taxing to the runway) The lady loops Nicholas into her drama in hopes of thwarting the blackmailing man. During a layover, Nicholas's attaché is stolen by the other man and the lady and Nicholas track him down while they are getting emotionally close. Will Nicholas get his money back, get the lady and allude his boss when he finds out the stocks are gone? This was a very competent B-level movie and moderately enjoyable.
An absorbing forgotten gem of a film
IAmTheRedDragon8 February 2007
I have no idea why this is classified as a comedy on this site! There are no comedic elements to this film - it is in fact a quite dark, 'film noir'-ish drama, and a very good one.
Quiet middle-aged businessman Nicholas Lawrence is fed up with his life and decides to embezzle his firm of a million dollars and flee to Shanghai. However, it becomes his misfortune to find himself seated with a dodgy pair of passengers on the plane: a beautiful young widow, Cynthia Strong, taking a trip to Hawaii to get away from it all after the untimely death of her husband, and tooth-clenchingly irritating Alan Marker, who has trailed her in an attempt to blackmail her by threatening to frame her for the murder of her husband.
When Alan has to make a trip to the gents', Cynthia begs Nicholas to help her by pretending he's an old friend of hers whom they have just mutually recognised, in the hopes that Alan will take the hint and go away. However, he instead sticks himself to the both of them like glue for the entire stopover in Hawaii and makes life miserable, culminating in his stealing Nick's stolen million and hightailing it to San Francisco. Needless to say, Nick is not now able to continue on to his destination of Shanghai, but instead he and Cynthia go in pursuit of Alan.
This is a very absorbing, well-acted dark drama with a sympathetic hero, a lovely and mysterious leading lady, and a memorably obnoxious villain (Francis Lederer, who played Alan, was the founder of the American National Academy of Performing Arts and apparently was still teaching acting up to the end of his life - so he certainly knew how to play a truly obnoxious bad guy).
Very recommended film which should be better known - you can easily imagine Bogart and Bacall in the leading roles, and if that had been the case, I think this film would have been a well-known classic, but the actors who do star in this film carry off their parts very well.
Quiet middle-aged businessman Nicholas Lawrence is fed up with his life and decides to embezzle his firm of a million dollars and flee to Shanghai. However, it becomes his misfortune to find himself seated with a dodgy pair of passengers on the plane: a beautiful young widow, Cynthia Strong, taking a trip to Hawaii to get away from it all after the untimely death of her husband, and tooth-clenchingly irritating Alan Marker, who has trailed her in an attempt to blackmail her by threatening to frame her for the murder of her husband.
When Alan has to make a trip to the gents', Cynthia begs Nicholas to help her by pretending he's an old friend of hers whom they have just mutually recognised, in the hopes that Alan will take the hint and go away. However, he instead sticks himself to the both of them like glue for the entire stopover in Hawaii and makes life miserable, culminating in his stealing Nick's stolen million and hightailing it to San Francisco. Needless to say, Nick is not now able to continue on to his destination of Shanghai, but instead he and Cynthia go in pursuit of Alan.
This is a very absorbing, well-acted dark drama with a sympathetic hero, a lovely and mysterious leading lady, and a memorably obnoxious villain (Francis Lederer, who played Alan, was the founder of the American National Academy of Performing Arts and apparently was still teaching acting up to the end of his life - so he certainly knew how to play a truly obnoxious bad guy).
Very recommended film which should be better known - you can easily imagine Bogart and Bacall in the leading roles, and if that had been the case, I think this film would have been a well-known classic, but the actors who do star in this film carry off their parts very well.
Odd Little Noir
rob-82-30276316 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
MILLION DOLLAR WEEKEND (1948) Stockbroker Gene Raymond embezzles $1 million from his company on a Friday and flees to Shanghai via plane. En route he encounters Frenchman Francis Lederer who is attempting to blackmail Patricia Shay, who has been accused of murdering her husband; the embezzler soon finds himself falling in love with her. Unfortunately, he's so preoccupied with her that he doesn't see the extortionist running off with his briefcase full of loot until it's too late. Following the crook back to San Francisco, he hopes to recover the cash before his boss discovers it missing come Monday morning. Produced and directed by lead actor Raymond (the mastermind head crook in PLUNDER ROAD) with a screenplay by Charles S. Belden (DOUBLE DEAL, THE STRANGE MR. GREGORY, BULLET SCARS, TEAR GAS SQUAD).
Better Than The Fluffy Title Suggests
dougdoepke6 April 2020
Pretty good noirish crime drama despite its obscurity. Seems businessman Nicholas (Raymond) is fleeing the city from something unknown to us. Also fleeing is unhappy Cynthia (Massen) who's being blackmailed by slimy Alan (Lederer) for killing her husband. Together they all meet on a commercial flight to Honolulu where Cynthia inveigles Nicholas to help her fend off the snarky Alan. So how will this star-crossed meeting turn out, especially with all the hidden interests. (I wish IMDB's Plot Summary hadn't disclosed Alan's secret for fleeing his job since that's a key part of the suspense.)
There's no attempt to charm the audience Hollywood style since the principals hardly crack a smile the whole way through. Massen's Cynthia, in particular, has to remain dour the whole way, hardly the typical leading lady demeanor. Nonetheless, her talent registers. Maybe stealing the show is Lederer's Alan who's about as slimy and dislikable as they come. I kept hoping his smirking good looks would get permanently cratered at some point.
As producer, director, and male lead, it looks like actor Raymond was following along path of actor Robert Montgomery who turned impresario several years earlier with Lady In The Lake (1946) and Ride The Pink Horse (1947). However, given Nicholas's dour personality, Raymond doesn't use his executive standing to elevate himself.
Anyway, don't look for a lot of action except for a scenic car chase and brief fisticuffs. The flick's really more about character and fate (the meet-ups) than cops and atmosphere especially with the scenic Hawaiian locations. Likely, the 72-minutes amounts to too much of a downer to ever gain a following. Nonetheless, the obscure production manages to carve out an oddball impact of its own.
There's no attempt to charm the audience Hollywood style since the principals hardly crack a smile the whole way through. Massen's Cynthia, in particular, has to remain dour the whole way, hardly the typical leading lady demeanor. Nonetheless, her talent registers. Maybe stealing the show is Lederer's Alan who's about as slimy and dislikable as they come. I kept hoping his smirking good looks would get permanently cratered at some point.
As producer, director, and male lead, it looks like actor Raymond was following along path of actor Robert Montgomery who turned impresario several years earlier with Lady In The Lake (1946) and Ride The Pink Horse (1947). However, given Nicholas's dour personality, Raymond doesn't use his executive standing to elevate himself.
Anyway, don't look for a lot of action except for a scenic car chase and brief fisticuffs. The flick's really more about character and fate (the meet-ups) than cops and atmosphere especially with the scenic Hawaiian locations. Likely, the 72-minutes amounts to too much of a downer to ever gain a following. Nonetheless, the obscure production manages to carve out an oddball impact of its own.
Very Bad
cmbalanceforhealth29 May 2021
Not Quite a Million
daoldiges10 August 2022
Raymond directs, writes, and stars in this film and and does the first two capably. While he's shown in other work that he can act, I feel he plays it too cool here and unfortunately comes off as rather stiff. Similarly with Massen, she seems a bit detached. Lederer however is quite good as the greasy bad guy. Million Dollar Weekend isn't anything to get too excited about but still, was at times entertaining and worth checking out if you're curious.
pleasant black-and-white thriller
myriamlenys9 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A stockbroker finally commits the daring theft he had been dreaming of for a long time. Wanting to escape, he takes the airplane. There he gets embroiled in a tense but mysterious quarrel between two strangers...
What do you do when somebody steals your ill-gotten loot ? That is the question asked (and answered) in this engaging little thriller. It's a pleasant work with an engaging premise and three memorable lead characters, although actor Francis Lederer, as the blackmailer, somewhat overdoes it in the smirking villainy department. The plot could have used an extra twist, too.
Viewers who like that kind of thing may imagine various ways in which the last two or three minutes of the movie can be improved upon. For instance : our stockbroker sits on a park bench waiting for his beloved, who arrives in the company of a giant penguin. Or : our stockbroker sits on a park bench waiting for his beloved, who arrives dressed as Madame de Pompadour. (I'm shallow, I know.)
The many images of Honolulu anno 1948 are a delight. However, I would not be surprised to learn that nowadays much of the landscape has been blighted by over-tourism and over-development. "Tourism eats tourism", but it also devours a lot of other things - nature, quiet, beauty...
What do you do when somebody steals your ill-gotten loot ? That is the question asked (and answered) in this engaging little thriller. It's a pleasant work with an engaging premise and three memorable lead characters, although actor Francis Lederer, as the blackmailer, somewhat overdoes it in the smirking villainy department. The plot could have used an extra twist, too.
Viewers who like that kind of thing may imagine various ways in which the last two or three minutes of the movie can be improved upon. For instance : our stockbroker sits on a park bench waiting for his beloved, who arrives in the company of a giant penguin. Or : our stockbroker sits on a park bench waiting for his beloved, who arrives dressed as Madame de Pompadour. (I'm shallow, I know.)
The many images of Honolulu anno 1948 are a delight. However, I would not be surprised to learn that nowadays much of the landscape has been blighted by over-tourism and over-development. "Tourism eats tourism", but it also devours a lot of other things - nature, quiet, beauty...
Hackneyed Z production to Hawaian score
adrianovasconcelos10 February 2024
With actors as (in)famous as Gene Raymond, Osa Massen or Francis Lederer - the latter as the Napoleon brandy-drinking blackmailer - the most you get is a Z production directed by none other than... Gene Raymond himself, with sloppy and hazy camera work by Paul Ivano (ever heard of him? Me neither!)
In fairness, Gene does look distracted, and not by beautiful Osa Massen alone. He steals $1 million from his boss and is en route to Shanghai when fellow traveler and fairly merry widow Massen asks him to play the part of long standing friend so as to protect her from nefarious blackmailer Lederer, who wants half her indemnity insurance... plus her.
Gene goes along with her plan, is swiftly relieved of the $1 million he stole, and proceeds to check every hotel in Fran San Cisco for the bad blackmailer... alas, the latter ought to have known better than to order Napoleon brandy.
And on that note of publicity for the famous brandy that probably paid for the entire Z production, Gene waits in the moonlight for the latecoming Massen for a happy ending in which murder, theft, and blackmail are all forgotten and forgiven.
Well, I ain't so forgiving about wasting 72 minutes of my precious life. 2/10.
In fairness, Gene does look distracted, and not by beautiful Osa Massen alone. He steals $1 million from his boss and is en route to Shanghai when fellow traveler and fairly merry widow Massen asks him to play the part of long standing friend so as to protect her from nefarious blackmailer Lederer, who wants half her indemnity insurance... plus her.
Gene goes along with her plan, is swiftly relieved of the $1 million he stole, and proceeds to check every hotel in Fran San Cisco for the bad blackmailer... alas, the latter ought to have known better than to order Napoleon brandy.
And on that note of publicity for the famous brandy that probably paid for the entire Z production, Gene waits in the moonlight for the latecoming Massen for a happy ending in which murder, theft, and blackmail are all forgotten and forgiven.
Well, I ain't so forgiving about wasting 72 minutes of my precious life. 2/10.
About a million AFTER taxes
mls418220 March 2023
I really enjoyed this film. I was able to view it on YouTube.
The leads are attractive and work well together. Osa Masseen was quite an attractive woman and a very good actresses. Strangely she uses a different name for this film.
This film has been categorized as a noir. I don't think I'd quite classify it as such. It does have a somewhat original concept. It was a nice try at something new and I think for the most part they pulled it off.
The film starts with embezzlement and blackmail. I won't tell you how it ends.
Sure there are plot holes and implausibilities. Try to overlook them and enjoy.
The leads are attractive and work well together. Osa Masseen was quite an attractive woman and a very good actresses. Strangely she uses a different name for this film.
This film has been categorized as a noir. I don't think I'd quite classify it as such. It does have a somewhat original concept. It was a nice try at something new and I think for the most part they pulled it off.
The film starts with embezzlement and blackmail. I won't tell you how it ends.
Sure there are plot holes and implausibilities. Try to overlook them and enjoy.
Not bad for a B-noir without stars
clanciai14 May 2021
Gene Raymond directed this film and plays the main protagonist, committing the perfect crime with all prospects of getting away with it, until he, naturally, meets a dame in trouble, who is harassed by a vicious scoundrel of a ruthless cynical blackmailer, who succeeds in getting them both into trouble. The journey was planned to go to Shanghai, it gets no further than Honolulu, and there there is an awkward return to San Francisco. The play-acting is good, the story and plot is good, the unexpected turnings are very appropriate, so it's indeed a noir of the better kind, and there are some striking parallels to the notoriously famous "Detour" some year earlier, except that here the villain is a man, while the one woman gains in favors the more she tells about herself. Finally we see the crime, and we can judge for ourselves about her true nature. It is only a B-noir, but it offers full satisfaction.
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