Cita en Hong Kong

Susan Hayward arrives in Hong Kong because her rather irresponsible reporter husband has disappeared--most likely across the border in Communist China. A wide variety of low-lifes offer to help but most seem intent with either bedding her or getting her money. One of these disreputable characters is played by Clark Gable--a man who seems to be heavily involved in the black market and smuggling. Of course Gable falls for Hayward, but the fact that she's loyal to her husband keeps getting in his way.

This is an awfully familiar plot considering Clark Gable played in many movies with similar plot threads from the 1930s until the end of his career. In so many of his films, he played a rogue who was often on the wrong side of the law and who claimed to have no loyalty to anything but himself. However, again and again, by the end of the film, his character turned out to be decent after all--and usually get the girl. Despite all this being present in SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, I enjoyed the movie for two reasons. First, Gable always played those parts so well that it's hard to dislike these films. Second, setting the movie in Hong Kong was a welcome relief and breathed life into the old theme. In particular, the spectacular scenery really enhanced the film and made it sparkle.

The 50s was Hollywood's probably worst-ever decade, the highlights of that period very ironically being mostly low-budget, so-bad-they're-good sci-fi and monster movies. Even though SOF isn't by any means a brilliant exception to the rule, it does offer something that a number of 50s big-studio movies did have: beautiful women (in this case one woman) and great Technicolor visuals. Susan Hayward has never looked better: she is quite simply stunning. The coastal night scenes are visually impeccable. The story isn't too cheesy for that period and refreshingly presents communists as the bad guys. (The movie was made post-McCarthy-clean-up so there was a pleasant hiatus that lasted several years regarding left-wing propaganda films that glorified communists or at least tried to soften the brutality of such regimes.) Clark Gable, if a little old, in the lead role can't hurt either.

Compare 40s/50s beauties like Liz Taylor, Olivia de Havilland, and Susan Hayward to modern-day wrecks like Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz. Sad...

This typically glossy Fox production from the 1950s, hinging on equal parts star power and exotic locations, was another title I had missed out on several times along the years; after its recent SE DVD release, I made it a point to catch up with the film next time around.

Anyway, for an adventure film, it's rather talky and, even if just 96 minutes long, it devotes too much attention to irrelevant subplots involving secondary characters (including gruff bar owner Tom Tully and a comeback role for former Swedish star Anna Sten) to the ultimate detriment of major ones: in fact, Susan Hayward – who gets to interact with most of the cast – is given more screen-time than Clark Gable (which is even more surprising when one remembers that this was Gable's first non-MGM film in 20 years!) and, in spite of their billing, both Michael Rennie and Gene Barry don't have a lot to do until the climax (though, in the latter's case, it's understandable as he's a prisoner in the hands of Communist China).

With respect to the narrative itself (Ernest K. Gann adapted his own novel for the screen), the film seems to fall between several stools – action, romance, politics – but, with its eye firmly on the box-office, this superficial and sometimes contrived approach ends up satisfying no one. That said, it's a generally entertaining ride – and Dmytryk handles the proceedings in an efficient, if highly impersonal, manner.

In the end, I'd say that SOLDIER OF FORTUNE is the least of the 3 Fox titles released as part of the rather expensive "The Clark Gable Collection" – the others being William Wellman's THE CALL OF THE WILD (1935) and Raoul Walsh's THE TALL MEN (1955; disappointingly, this is the only one not to feature an accompanying Audio Commentary).

In search of her missing photographer husband, Jane Hoyt (Susan Hayward) arrives in Hong Kong and learns at the U.S. Consulate that her mission is futile, that neither the United States nor the British government can help her...

She turns in despair to Hank Lee (Clark Gable), an American soldier of fortune who runs a profitable smuggling business on each side of the bamboo curtain...

Hank is attracted to Jane's sultry red-haired beauty... He develops a personal interest in the lady, but when she repulses his advances, he realizes that the only way to win her over is to rescue her husband... Aided by an incorruptible English harbor policeman, Inspector Merryweather (Michael Rennie), he discovers that her husband is being held prisoner near Canton, where he is being brainwashed...

Hank prepares to rescue Hoyt in his powered junk, Chicago, and is annoyed to find Inspector Merryweather aboard... Since the inspector knows the nature of Hank's merchandise, he was held prisoner aboard the sailing vessel... Later, however, when Hank's crewmen desert rather than enter Red China, Merryweather, realizing that this is a rescue mission, offers his help...

Clark Gable was getting a little too old for these kinds of actions, but the film holds attention with its good yarn and its interesting locations...

Hayward looks different without her famous long tresses... This was her second movie with the tall, gaunt Michael Rennie... She had one scene with him in 'Demetrius and the Gladiators.'

Ironically, this anticommunist adventure film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, one of the 'Hollywood Ten.'

A woman , Susan Hayward , enlists a shipping magnate , Clark Gable , to help her to find his lost husband , Gene Barry , in Red China . Meanwhile , Clark becomes involved with a motley collection of unsavoury underworld figures. As there are rumors that the hubby might be held by the Communist Chinese military as a spy and Gable set out in hunting the missing man in Hong Kong , Macao and Canton .

An entertaining but slowly paced adventure has Gable as a shady smuggler entrepreneur who attempts to save the husband photographer of a distinguished Mistress, Hayward. Late Clark vehicle with the ordinary formula beginning to fall and feel the postwar strain ; besides, there is not enough action to keep adventure fans happy . It hardly ever delivers fast movement , though there is an exciting final getaway . Still a decent but mediocre fun, at times , from two top drawer stars, Gable and Hayward. As Susan had been among the myriad starlets vying for the Scarlett OHara role nearly two decades early .Here Hayward has a character less dynamic than those she was used to at the time , like the Oscarized : I want to live¡ . Support cast is pretty well , there's plenty of notorious secondaries as Michael Rennie , Gene Barry , Jack Kruschen , Russell Collins , Tom Tully , Leo Gordon, Richard Loo , Mel Welles , a very small role by James Hong , Alexander D'Arcy , and it is surprise to find the glamour of a silent cinema great star : Anne Stern as a middle-age woman who marries Russell Collins.

The picture contains colorful cinematography in Cinemascope, Color De Luxe, by Leo Tover, probing his camera really makes the teeming streets and water-ways of Hong Kong and Macao spring to life . And sensitive and romantic musical score by Hugo Friedhofer, including oriental sounds. The film was regular but professionally directed by Edward Dmytryck . He was a fine craftsman who directed a lot of films, some of them are considered classic movies .Howewer, Edward's later pictures tended to be on the sluggish side , such as Soldier of Fortune .Edward was a member of the communist party and he was denounced before HUAC . He was one of the so-called " Hollywood Ten" , though , subsequently he turned an informer and was panned by the establishment . Dmytryck made films of all kinds of genres such as Western: Shalako,Alvarez Kelly, Raintree country, Broken lance, Warlock ; Wartime : Anzio, The Caine Mutiny, Hitler's children, Young Lions, Back to Bataan ; Drama : The carpetbaggers, Mirage, The human factor, The left hand of God , The mountain, Till the end of time, Crossfire , Her first romance , Tender comrade , End of affair , Cornered , among others.