La belle de Saïgon

This film was the one which really showcased Jean Harlow, fresh at MGM after a stint at Columbia, and a film or two as one of the muses of Howard Hughes.

In real life she'd married and been widowed in quick succession, and although the Paul Bern scandal must have been a strain, it doesn't show here on screen. Harlow is absolutely luminous, a wise-cracking hardboiled good-time girl with a soft centre and a hint of innocence. What else could she be but a bright platinum blonde? Mary Astor, tight-laced and classy, arrives at the sexually-charged rubber plantation with feverish husband Gene Raymond, and catches the eye of wide-boy hard-man Clark Gable (a real he-man of the 'grab em by the hair' school).

A fascinating slice of 1930s pre-Production Code history, 'Red Dust' sizzles and is always in heat. Remade as 'Mogambo' and apart from the addition of colour, some recasting (Gardner for Harlow, Grace Kelly for Astor, Donald Sinden for Raymond), it remained a heady brew, even down to the indefatigable Mr Gable reprising his role as Carson!

To me this is one of the films that defined the Pre-Code Era. Complete with prostitution, adultery, sex as a major plot point, partial nudity (well, much more than was allowed during the Code enforcement), drunkenness, and strong women characters, this film has it all. Plus, it has an extremely engaging storyline, interesting setting, and an explanation of how rubber is made. Aside from the racism present, this film is great. One of the most interesting things about this film, which I have studied a great deal as a part of my senior thesis in undergrad film school, is the freshness of the dialogue. Coming only a few years after the addition of sound to films I was shocked to find how fun and refreshing the dialogue was. Whereas lots of films these days disappoint me in that the dialogue is so overly cliched and stale, Red Dust has lines about favorite cheeses and stories read about bunnies-- how fun!

All and all, this movie is terrific. Clark is as virile as anything and Jean Harlow is full of strength and sass and dimensions-- just a great female character. And hell if she isn't going to fight for her man! Mary Astor's character is also very well done as we see and believe that Clark is just so tempted by her and she by him. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone-- It's a 120 times better than its remake, Mogambo, which despite Gable's presence just totally loses everything that Red Dust had.

Erotically highly charged melodrama that fairly sizzles, even today, more than 70 years later. Cinematography has a plasticity and a sheen to it that makes the film gorgeous to look at, editing is highly efficient and gets the job done and the story told, and the acting is fabulous. I wasn't prepared for the physical impact of the young Gable, how he makes absolutely no excuses for his raw sexuality and libido and how amazingly attractive he was. Harlow as well, I was prepared to find her vulgar and shallow, but she was quite good and certainly had a chemistry thing going with Gable.

Recommended, and please, all of you insisting that this is an inexcusably racist picture, any work of art needs to be judged by its own unique standards, and those of its time. Racism in movies today is a lot subtler, but certainly exists just like it did in the early 30s, and politics or no politics it doesn't detract from the greatness of this genre movie.

Heartily recommended.

Excellent drama set on a rubber plantation stars Clark Gable as a rough-and- tough boss who drives his men to produce rubber in a harsh southeast Asian locale (they mention Saigon a lot). He's awaiting a new surveyor to join his small band on white men (Tully Marshall, Donald Crisp) and Asian workers. But the boat brings Jean Harlow instead, a call girl who has fled the city for a while. Gable and Harlow are terrific as they spit and snarl at each other befall falling into each others' arms. But then the new kid arrives (Gene Raymond) with a wife! Mary Astor (the wife) has one of her first great roles in talkies in this film. Her arrival sets off all kinds of sparks with Gable and with Harlow. The husband is sick right off, allowing Gable and Astor to get friendly. Great chemistry among the stars here, and a very adult script for 1932. Two memorable scenes: Harlow taking a bath in the water barrel; Gable carrying Astor through the torrential monsoon rains. Certainly ranks among the best performances of the 3 stars. Raymond has the thankless role of the wimp husband; Crisp is the drunk; Marshall is the loyal sidekick. Willie Fung (Hoy) and Forrester Harvey (Limey) round out the cast. Hard to believe Harlow is only 21 here and had already made more than 25 films, dating back to silent films in 1928. Oddly, Harlow, Astor, Gable, Marhsall, and Crisp had all started in silent films. It's wonderful to see these stars at their peak. Not to be missed.

This actually is as good as the publicity says. Definitely one to watch.

Back in the thirties, MGM might be thought of as slightly smug and arrogant but watching this you can understand why they were a bit self satisfied. They were the studio who really knew how to make a movie.

Care, detail and time were clearly invested to evoke the feel the insect laden, steamy Indonesian rain forest where the normal constraints and rules of society don't apply. In a similar sort of way to how Coppola evoked the surreal, dislocated world of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, Victor Fleming brings Clarke Gable's private fiefdom vibrantly to life.

What makes this film so watchable ninety years after it wowed the audiences back in 1932 are the two stars. Gable is perfect as the world's most macho man; you can almost smell the gallons of testosterone he sweats out. I've never been a fan of Jean Harlow but for once, she really shows what she can do - she is brilliant in this. You've also got to impressed by her professionalism in the way she effortlessly makes the personality of her character so real considering her husband was either murdered or committed suicide during its filming.