World for Ransom

Nervy burlesque of Hustonian exotic thrillers

Fascinating early Aldrich, visually creative.

A marvelously understated film noir that parodies all those big-budget spy/adventure films.

When acclaimed nuclear physicist "O'Connor" (Arthur Shields) is kidnapped in Singapore it falls to opportunist investigator "Callahan" (Dan Duryea) to try to find him before an auction ensues that will see the poor man fought over by the West and those nasty commies behind the iron curtain. Meantime, he's also amidst a bit of a love triangle with singer "Frennessey" (Marion Carr) who is married to the underwhelming "Julian" (Patric Knowles) and looking for a bit of adventure. Thereafter this all rather standard cold war drama that, for me at any rate, is really only memorable as the last on screen appearance of the avuncular Nigel Bruce - still wearing the plumed hat as the Governor. Gene Lockhart is quite effective as the double-dealing "Pederas" but the rest of the competent cast only do as much as they can with the rather pedestrian script and Robert Aldrich really seems content to run within the predictable tramlines of the B-movie before a predictable conclusion. This is quite a disappointing film.