Le secret de la Casbah

British/American/Italian coproduction not set in Cairo but Algiers. George is in good form even if a bit too old for the role. Gianna Maria looking quite striking turns in a good performance. Okay, it is a bit of a stretch that she could go for George. The mood is adequately noirish. Interesting plot involving a tourist (Raft) unwittingly getting intertwined investigating a crime ring stealing gold hidden in North Africa from the Nazis after the invasion of France in WWII. And the musical score added to the viewing pleasure. Also notable this was Irene Papas' American film debut. Raft was at his best as a "shady" good guy in his later roles in the 40s and 50s. Recommended.

It was unusual from Ray Enright - an excellent western maker - to make such an espionage post war feature. It was very popular after WW2, to provide such plots with former nazis, new Russian Soviet enemies and many intrigues. And of course George Raft was hired several times for such schemes. This one, among the last that Ray Enright directed, is not above nor worst than another one of this kind. It is agreeable and predictable to watch. No more. If you are a Raft's fan, go ahead, if not, you'll miss nothing at all. But there is an overall good atmosphere, north Africa atmosphere, very common for this period, late forties early fifties. I don 't know why, I expected to see Peter Lorre in every scene of this intrigue. I don't know why....

George Raft is an ex-G.I. who is wandering the world. He just happens into Algeria at the same time an old friend is investigating the theft of French government gold. When the friend is killed, Raft is pulled into the investigation and his life is suddenly hanging by a thread. So it's up to tough-guy Raft to clear himself for the murder and get to the bottom of the theft.

Years before, George Raft made BACKGROUND TO DANGER. Now a decade later, he's made a film that is very similar. Unfortunately, in the meantime, he's gotten 10 years older AND 10 years more wooden in his performance. It was amazing to see how unanimated and dull he'd become in the meantime--with very little energy or emotion--like he's just walking through the role. He talks a lot but doesn't do all that much--possibly due to the script or possibly because he's obviously too old to play the action hero. Sadly, all the supporting actors are pretty forgettable, too--forcing Raft to shoulder the entire turgid film.

The bottom line is that this film isn't all that original (having seen several similar films) and it's not particularly fun or interesting--though it's not a bad film. Worth seeing only if you have relatively low expectations.

Well, that's the way this low-budget crime drama was promoted. Starring Screen Heavy George Raft (well past his prime) and filmed abroad in 1953, it was just an attempt by prolific B-movie producer Robert Lippert to exploit Raft's familiar name. Here, he is cast as a vacationer heading to Algeirs, for no reason in particular. There, he runs into considerable danger due to a case of mistaken identity. He is thought to be an agent investigating a gold theft that happened during the war. At times, it seems that almost everybody he runs into has had some connection to the robbery, (and most of them do) needlessly adding even more confusion to an already muddled plot. This is one film that needed all the exposition it could get, but, though details are hashed over endlessly, it doesn't make things any clearer. And though it was advertised as being ''filmed where it happened'', there isn't much of the expected exotic scenery. There are some sleazily authentic backgrounds, but little use is made of them. It might as well have been filmed in Idaho,for all the ''atmosphere'' it generates. This is a very claustrophobic looking production, which relies almost entirely on Raft's fast-fading charisma to keep it afloat. Sadly, he just doesn't make a very convincing hero (though he was a terrific villain) and he sounds as if he's imitating Humphrey Bogart. The rest of the cast is dubbed, including leading lady Gianna Maria Canale, who not only has no chemistry with Raft, but is almost twice his size, and moves like a robot. There is an early appearance by the great Greek actress Irene Papas,but she's wasted in a nothing role.Strangely, the movie retains enough interest to keep you watching to the end, but that's not saying much. And neither this film, nor the other Lippert quickies Raft did,generated any new interest in him. When this one reached the US, it landed on the bottom half of a double bill, supporting another Lippert production ''Sins Of Jezebel''. They are all available on DVD from VCI ENTERTAINMENT. And the transfers are better than the movies. That's pretty ironic-In most cases, it's usually the other way around. Incidentally, this one was advertised with one of the most striking posters a Lippert feature ever had. Too bad the advertising was superior to the product. Well, it's not as if THAT'S never happened before, time and time again...

An American tourist, who served in Algeria during WW2, is mistaken for an American agent hired by the French government to recover its gold reserves that went missing in the Algerian desert during the war.

People representing many nationalities and reasons are also seeking the gold. It boils down to a battle between Canelli and the original looter aboard a speeding train.

The Man From Cairo sees George Raft handle some intrigue in this fairly routine noir thriller. I found it a bit too talky and the pace was rather languid. Of course, the location was good and George Raft with his ultra-stoic demeanour and cool delivery of the one liners makes things watchable. And Gianna Maria Canale is a sight for sore eyes!