| Macao | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Josef von Sternberg Nicholas Ray |
| Produced by | Howard Hughes Samuel Bischoff Alex Gottlieb |
| Written by | Story: Robert Creighton Williams Screenplay: Stanley Rubin Bernard C. Schoenfeld Robert Mitchum |
| Starring | Robert Mitchum Jane Russell |
| Music by | Anthony Collins Jule Styne |
| Cinematography | Harry J. Wild |
| Editing by | Samuel E. Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg ( 29 May 1894, Vienna, Austria &ndash 22 December 1969, Los Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle) ( August 7, 1911 &ndash June 16, 1979) was an American Film director Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist Samuel Bischoff ( 11 August, 1890 &ndash 21 May, 1975) was an American Film producer who was responsible for more Bernard C Schoenfeld ( August 17, 1907 - April 25, 1980) was a film screenwriter Robert Charles Durman Mitchum ( August 6, 1917 &ndash July 1, 1997) was an Academy Award nominated American film Jane Russell (born June 21) is an American film actress and Sex symbol. Sir Anthony Vincent Collins ( September 3, 1893, Hastings, East Sussex – December 11, 1963, Los Angeles, Jule Styne ( December 31, 1905 &ndash September 20, 1994) was a British -born American Songwriter especially Harry J Wild ASC (1900 - 1961 was a film and television Cinematographer. Beetley Robert Golden |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 30, 1952 |
| Running time | 81 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Macao (1952) is a black-and-white film noir adventure film directed by Josef von Sternberg and Nicholas Ray. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The year 1952 in film involved some significant events Events January 10 - Cecil B Black-and-white is a number of Monochrome forms in Visual arts. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg ( 29 May 1894, Vienna, Austria &ndash 22 December 1969, Los Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle) ( August 7, 1911 &ndash June 16, 1979) was an American Film director Producer Howard Hughes fired director von Sternberg while the film was being shot and then hired director Nicholas Ray to finish it. Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle) ( August 7, 1911 &ndash June 16, 1979) was an American Film director The drama features Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, and others. Robert Charles Durman Mitchum ( August 6, 1917 &ndash July 1, 1997) was an Academy Award nominated American film Jane Russell (born June 21) is an American film actress and Sex symbol. William Bendix ( January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an Academy Award -nominated American film Actor. [1]
When many of Von Sternberg's scenes made no sense dramatically, Ray asked Mitchum to write several bridging scenes. Cinematographer Harry J. Wild worked on the film and filming was completed in 1950 but the film was not released until 1952. Harry J Wild ASC (1900 - 1961 was a film and television Cinematographer. Only stock footage was shot on location in Hong Kong and Macau. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics.
Contents |
Plot
Three strangers arrive at the port of Macao on the same boat: Nick (Robert Mitchum), a world-traveling, cynical-but-honest everyman, Julie (Jane Russell), an equally cynical, sultry night club singer, and Lawrence Trumbel (William Bendix), a traveling salesman who deals in both silk stockings and contraband.
At the center of the plot is a jewel-smuggling casino owner and his neglected croupier girl friend. The "international police" want to get him beyond the safety of Macao's three-mile limit, where they can arrest him. A New York police detective goes undercover in an attempt to force his hand. The casino owner mistakes Nick for the police officer.
Cast
- Robert Mitchum as Nick Cochran
- Jane Russell as Julie Benson
- William Bendix as Lawrence C. Robert Charles Durman Mitchum ( August 6, 1917 &ndash July 1, 1997) was an Academy Award nominated American film Jane Russell (born June 21) is an American film actress and Sex symbol. William Bendix ( January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an Academy Award -nominated American film Actor. Trumble
- Thomas Gomez as Lt. Thomas Gomez ( July 10, 1905 &ndash June 18, 1971) was an Academy Award -nominated American actor Sebastian
- Gloria Grahame as Margie
- Brad Dexter as Vincent Halloran
- Edward Ashley as Martin Stewart
- Philip Ahn as Itzumi
- Vladimir Sokoloff as Kwan Sum Tang
Critical reception
Film critic Dennis Schwartz lauded the casting of Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum, writing, "A wonderfully tongue-in-cheek scripted RKO adventure story directed by Josef von Sternberg. Gloria Grahame ( November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an Academy Award -winning American Film Brad Dexter ( Serbian: Бред Декстер, Bred Dekster) ( April 9, 1917 – December 12, 2002) was a Philip Ahn ( March 29, 1905 &ndash February 28, 1978) was a Korean-American actor Vladimir Nikolaevich Sokoloff ( December 26, 1889 - February 15, 1962) was a Character actor with many films to his credit . . Jane Russell enthralls as she gets romanced by the laconic Mitchum, and they create movie magic together through their brilliant nuanced performances. The sultry actress was never better, as she belts out a few torch songs, tosses insults at Mitchum with natural ease, shows her romantic side and looks right through the leering bad guys of Macao as if they didn't exist. She's the good-bad girl, while he's the hard-luck innocent who can't even win when playing with loaded dice. They're both film noir characters, who Jane sums up when she tells her man: 'Everybody's lonely, worried, and sorry. Everybody's looking for something. ' If you are looking for an underrated film noir gem--that somehow got swept under the rug--this is it!"[2]
When the film was first released, Bosley Crowther, film critic for The New York Times, lambasted the drama, writing, "All the other ingredients, including Miss Russell's famed physique, are pretty much the same as have been tumbled into previous cheesecakes with Jane and Bob. Francis Bosley Crowther ( July 13, 1905 &ndash March 7, 1981) was a Film critic for The New York Times for . . Macao is a flimflam and no more—a flimflam designed for but one purpose and that is to mesh the two stars. The story itself is pedestrian—a routine and standardized account of a guy getting caught in the middle of a cops-and-robbers thing. And except for some well-placed direction by Josef von Sternberg in a couple of scenes, especially in a "chase" among nets and rowboats, the job is conventional in style. . . 'A fabulous speck on the earth's surface'—that's Macao, the place and the film. "[3]
References
Notes
- ^ Macao at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Schwartz, Dennis Ozus' World Movie Reviews, film review, January 13, 2005. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Last accessed: January 15, 2008. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ Crowther, Bosley. The New York Times, film review, May 1, 1952. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Last accessed: January 15, 2008.
External links
- Macao at the Internet Movie Database
- Macao at Allmovie
- Macao at the TCM Movie Database
- Macao at Film Noir of the week
- Macao at DVD Beaver (includes images)
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