Malaya 1949

     The time period for this film begins in January 1942, one month after the Pearl Harbor attack.  Journalist John Royer had been living abroad for several years.  He returns to the United States just after the US enters WWII.  He believes he could easily smuggle rubber out of Malaya.  Rubber is a key wartime natural resource.  Carnaghan has been serving time in Alcatraz but Royer gets him released.  They pose as Irishmen and they leave for South East Asia.  Carnaghan gets in contact with some of his friends and a few plantation owners.  They plan to smuggle the rubber out even through the Japanese army is watching all movements in Malaya.

     This cannot be a strictly adventure movie but needs romance mixed in with the action?  Valentina Cortese reminds me of Ingrid Bergman and the film reminds me of Casablanca but not as good.  The plantation owners were in favor of getting the rubber to the allies.  I could not get interested in this movie?  There seems to be too much going on and I couldn’t use enough of my mind to keep track?  2 ½* (This movie is so-so)

98 min, Adventure directed by Richard Thorpe with Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Valentina Cortese, Sydney Greenstreet, John Hodiak, Lionel Barrymore, Gilbert Roland, Roland Winters, Richard Loo, Ian MacDonald.

Note:  Imdb 6.7 out of 10, 40% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.2* out of 5* with 26 reviews, Leonard Maltin 2.5* out of 4*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, Arcadia, California and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Culver City, California.  The PT boat attack on a cruiser was reused from the film They Were Expendable from 1945.