Nick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attrac... Read allNick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attractive singer/petty crook, Julie Benson?Nick Cochran, an American in exile in Macao, has a chance to restore his name by helping capture an international crime lord. Undercover, can he mislead the bad guys and still woo the attractive singer/petty crook, Julie Benson?
- Arabian
- (uncredited)
- Bus Driver
- (uncredited)
- Alvaris
- (uncredited)
- Woman Passenger
- (uncredited)
- Casino Patron
- (uncredited)
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
- Chinese Photographer
- (uncredited)
- Hood
- (uncredited)
- Casino Patron
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJane Russell reports that director Josef von Sternberg was nasty to the crew, and would make insulting remarks about her and Robert Mitchum to each other, such as "what are we going to do with this beautiful stupid girl." Although Sternberg threatened Mitchum that he could be put off the picture, in the end it was the director who was replaced by Nicholas Ray.
- GoofsThe photographer hands the developed photos to the police within five minutes of taking them. There was no technology like that in 1950.
- Quotes
Nick Cochran: You know, you remind me of an old Egyptian girlfriend of mine. The Sphinx.
Margie: Are you partial to females made of stone?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)
- SoundtracksOcean Breeze
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Sung by Jane Russell (uncredited)
Played on phonograph
Dexter has a girlfriend, played by Gloria Grahame, who becomes jealous of Russell after he employs Russell as a singer, but also so that he can keep tabs on Mitchum. The plot thickens as Mitchum and Russell fall for each other, the real cop is revealed and a ploy involving stolen jewellery is instigated to bring Dexter to Hong Kong where he can finally be arrested. After an exciting foot-chase around the dark, deserted docks involving Mitchum and a couple of Dexter's knife-wielding Chinese henchmen, the denouement takes place on Dexter's boat climaxing in a roughhouse fist-fight between Dexter and Mitchum and a reconciliation between Mitchum and Russell which gives Mitchum a cheeky, risqué closing line before the end titles.
The film was a return to Hollywood film-making by Dietrich's celebrated German director of the 30's, Josef Von Sternberg, after a gap of several years and his stylised technique of lighting is evident especially in the night time scenes, although Nicholas Ray, then married to Grahame, was reportedly called in to finish the shoot after Von Sternberg was fired from the production.
The film packs a lot of plot into its eighty minute running time and still finds time to allow Russell to sing a few numbers, notably "You Kill Me" (great name for a torch song) and "One For My Baby" which Sinatra would later make his own. Mitchum and Russell bring their own respective brands of vulnerable machismo and sultry sassiness to their parts as well as the heat in their scenes together. Grahame however seems disinterested in her part but Bendix and Dexter are more convincing as the real protagonists way out east.
An enjoyably entertaining Oriental adventure, what it lacks in budget, it makes up for in style and the charisma of its two undeniably magnetic leads.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Макао
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $3,530
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1