Betrayed

"This dog just does not hunt." Not just that it is contrived and unbelievable in places.....the characters are not believable, none of them. Clark Gable is aging and looks and sounds totally American. Not at all like a Dutch intelligence officer who's still on his game. Lana Turner sounds American though she too is supposed to be Dutch. In her case, we are supposed to believe that being stuck in hiding for days in a windmill with no amenities or frills, or trekking through rough countryside, she still has perfectly coiffed hair and red lipstick that never wears off even a little, the entire time.

And then we have the third lead, Victor Mature, also sounding very American. At least Wilfred Hyde White and Louis Calhern and the wonderful, not well known Ian Carmichael sound British and are supposed to be, in the film. I just think having all three leads being so apple pie American pretending to be Dutch who have never set foot in America, is too much to impose on the viewer's "suspension of disbelief." Victor Mature's character development (want to avoid spoilers) that affects the plot heavily also seems "a bridge too far."

Many, many better spy films out there!

I've always been very found of this movie. As another reviewer wrote, the screenwriters did a good job of blending the facts of Operation Market Garden with the fictitious story. I liked the role of the dashing "The Scarf" and Victor Mature's portrayal. Most of all, I like this as the last paring of Gable and Turner. Their first was HONKY TONK in 1941 when he was still the sassy, scowling rascal of GONE WITH THE WIND and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, and she was young, soft, delicate and alluring. By 1954, his scowl and sass were long gone as the result of the loss of his wife, Carole Lombard, and of the war which had made sass seem frivolous. He was older and thicker, but still a commanding screen presence. She was older, more experienced as a character and as an actress, and still alluring. When they slowly walk arm and arm, going in the wrong direction, through a line of soldiers singing "Bless Them All," this older and wiser pair had come full circle.

"Betrayed" stars Clark Gable in his last film for MGM, after which his contract was not renewed. I love the way these studios managed to forget the very people who made them great and kept them solvent during some hard years, but there you go. Gable deserved better for his last film - though it is beautifully photographed in color on location and has a star cast, he doesn't really have much of a role.

With Gable is another star on unsure footing at MGM - Lana Turner, who by 1954 had committed the unforgivable sin of being over 30 and therefore on her way out as far as Dore Schary was concerned. Victor Mature and Louis Calhern round out the all-star cast. Turner, as the widowed Carla van Oven, is sent into Holland as a liaison between a resistance fighter, The Scarf (Mature) and the British. When it becomes apparent that someone is betraying the resistance, Deventer (Gable), who trained Carla and fell in love with her, begins to suspect she's spying for the Nazis.

The story gets a little confusing but all in all, it's fairly routine stuff, and all these actors have appeared in stronger vehicles. It is lovely to look at, however. And Turner, as a brunette, looks beautiful and, though it's wartime, has some glamor moments as well. Gable at 53 was probably a little past it for his role, but he has a commanding presence. Mature does a good job as the wild resistance fighter.

Clark Gable and Turner both gave MGM their best years. "Betrayed" turned out to be an apt title for both of them.

Before I say anything else, I need to talk about the film score. While one reviewer pointed out how they liked it, I found that after what seemed like the 800th repetition of the same calliope music, I was ready to scream! I truly hated the music and it really didn't seem all that appropriate to the film--sounding more like circus or organ grinder's music than something for a WWII flick.

Now apart from all that, the film was a reasonably competent film and Gable, Turner and Mature all did fine. However, being a die-hard Clark Gable fan, I really wish he had more to do in the film. While Victor Mature got 3rd billing, he really seemed much more the star in the film and he definitely came off best of the three.

Apart from the acting, the film technically seemed only okay. Not bad, but certainly not good either. The biggest problem is that although the film was made on location in Holland (a big plus), the actors never sounded or acted Dutch in the least. Case in point, Lana Turner calling a young Dutch lad "Jan"--with a j-sound. It should have been pronounced "Yan"--and those responsible for the film should have noticed or cared. But, in the end it looked and sounded like hardly anyone connected with the film was Dutch--very strange indeed when it is a location shoot! As for the plot, it seemed to drag a little bit but was also pretty unusual and interesting--and it's because of that the film managed to score a 6.

Despite good performances from Lana Turner, Clark Gable and Victor Mature (in a colorful role as "The Scarf"), and some pretty location photography of Holland (filmed in Eastmancolor), there are script problems that render BETRAYED a contrived spy tale about the Dutch underground resistance to Nazis.

As one reviewer noted, "at times it is hard to tell who Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature are spying for" -- and the revelation that there is a traitor among them comes as no great surprise.

Still, the story moves at a fair pace, Lana looks gorgeous even with a brunette hairdo, and the aging Clark Gable gives a quietly underplayed performance in his final role at Metro. Victor Mature comes off best in a colorful pivotal role. Wilfred Hyde-White, Louis Calhern and Roland Culver are wasted in supporting roles.

All in all, an average spy melodrama bolstered by some fine location photography.

For more about the film and Lana Turner, see my article on LANA TURNER: DANGEROUS CURVES in the Spring Issue 2002 of FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE magazine.